Unable to bear the torrential rain that lashed the city in the last three days, Delhi's infrastructure is literally sinking. After the Shahjahan Road caved in post Saturday's heavy downpour — two other complaints of roads caving in were reported on Monday — one opposite to the lN hospital and other on the Asaf Ali Road.
Experts said that the prime cause for the roads caving in is the poor drainage system. "The drainage system of the city is unable to cater to the quantum of rain. The problem arises invariably after every time it rains because the road surface is exposed to water due to waterlogging as the drains are incapable to sustain the amount of water recorded by the city. At other times the drains are not de-silted properly and are clogged to flush out the water promptly from the roads, causing waterlogging. Unless the authorities improve the drainage system, the problem will keep recurring," said a senior scientist of Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).
He added that the local bodies can opt for other road constructing materials such as the stone mastic asphalt as it makes the roads more durable. "The bituminous material, which the agencies use at present, is not questionable but the problem arises due to poor drainage system. Unless the agencies try to solve the perennial problem of waterlogging, it is very likely that the roads prone to waterlogging can develop potholes, craters or can cave in," he added.
Traffic police said that they have intimated the road owning agencies on the road cave-in complaints received since Saturday. "We have received complaints of roads caving in from five areas, including Shahjahan Road, Saket (near Metro station), Barakhamba Road, GT Karnal Road and Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg. The concerned road owning agencies have been intimated to take action," said Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic). Roads caved in at several other parts till Monday, including Mehrauli Badarpur (MB) Road, Patel Nagar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg, Bhishm Pitamah Marg and Mata Sundari Road. Apart from these, traffic police on Monday received complaints of roads caving in from Asaf Ali Road, opposite Delite Cinema and the road opposite to lok Nayak Hospital.