To deal with the menace of waterlogging during the monsoons in the national Capital, the Delhi Government has started its preparations and identified around 147 hotspots of waterlogging across the city.
On Thursday, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister and Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Manish Sisodia held a review meeting with PWD officials to take stock of the preparations and directed the concerned officials to take all preventive measures by the end of May to prevent any inconvenience to the public.
Last year, Delhi had received up to 110 mm rainfall per day, which led to serious waterlogging issues in many areas. Sisodia had also directed all the concerned departments including PWD to prepare short-term and long-term strategies to prevent waterlogging in the future.
According to a senior PWD official, many water logging incidents were reported from Pul Prahladpur Underpass here last year and to prevent any such situation, PWD is constructing an underground pump of 7.5 lakh liters capacity and a permanent pump house of 600 horsepower.
“The construction work of the underground sump and pump house will be completed by the end of May. Along with this, seven temporary pumps will also be installed here, which will have a total capacity of 500 horsepower,” said the official.
“To eliminate the problem of waterlogging on Ring Road, nine pumps will be installed as well as PWD will construct a 1.5 lakh liter sump and stormwater drain from the old IP power plant to the Yamuna. This construction work will be completed before the monsoon,” said the
official.
“Action plan of PWD to prevent waterlogging at Jahangirpuri Metro Station Road includes the construction of a drain along with service road, reconstruction of old SW drain between the main road and Mukarba Chowk bound, along with the main road towards Ramgarh and Mahendra Park. Remodeling of SW drain and construction of permanent pump house is also included,” said the
official.
“Till a year ago, even if there was less rain, the situation of water logging used to arise under the Minto-Bridge. To overcome this, many permanent steps were taken by the Delhi Government last year and despite the unexpected rains, people did not face water-logging here,” said the official.
“This year, the Delhi government will set up an alternate drainage system and an automatic water pump to further improve its preparedness in the Minto-Bridge area,” the official added.
The Deputy CM has also directed the officials that the desilting work of all drains should be completed before May 31 and there should be no laxity.