Clogged drains have been the Achilles heel during rain in the national Capital. Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi Government has extended the deadline for desilting of the city drains to June 30. The department had earlier set June 15target.
In a written reply to a question asked by leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta in the Assembly, PWD Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday told the House that the other preparations done by the department to handle waterlogging in the city were the deployment of temporary and permanent pumps, maintenance vans along with cleaning of the bell mouth openings.
As of June 1, the department has not even completed 25 per cent desilting in 70 per cent of the sites. Of the 1,036 roads under the PWD, on 726 roads the work done is only up to 25 per cent. Only 87 sites have been completely cleared, according to a PWD report.
"In all the drains, 20 to 50 per cent desilting is done, and the work is in progress in all the areas," Jain said.
The PWD has identified 157 waterlogging locations on the basis of previous experience during the monsoons. It will deploy temporary pumps, maintenance vans and labour to avoid waterlogging in these sites.
The Traffic Police has also identified 370 vulnerable waterlogging locations, of which 312 comes under the PWD and remaining 58 pertain to other departments.
A total of 143 maintenance vans will be deployed across the city with 34 in East, 60 in South and 49 in the North zone. Over 680 workers will also be deployed to handle these vans.
Apart from these, a booklet titled "PWD Flood Control Order 2018" was also released for officials for taking necessary action.