Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena along with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to assess the plan of action ahead of the monsoon season to ensure least inconvenience to people due to waterlogging, flooding, overflowing drains and falling of trees. The meeting was held after an hour-long interaction between the L-G and the CM.
After reviewing a presentation with regards to the efforts and status of de-silting of drains, laying of alternate pipelines to transport water collected at chronic sites, deployment of pumps and vans, the L-G and the CM asked officials to put in place comprehensive long-term measures to deal with the problems of overflowing and waterlogging rather than dealing with the issue in a ‘Crisis Management Mode’ as has been happening till now.
The L-G directed officials to simultaneously start the exercise of creating sink holes 6 to 8 inches in diameter, lined with perforated pipes and covered suitably at the sites prone to waterlogging along roads and drains and DJB sewer lines prone to flooding, so that water could be instantly absorbed and used for recharge of ground water below such locations. Kejriwal seconded the idea and directed officials to comply with it. While Saxena stressed upon proactive preparedness on part of the authorities after putting all systems in place and deploying Quick Response Teams (QRT) equipped with all instruments that should be seen to be working on the ground, Kejriwal underlined the importance of enhancing and improving upon the work being done by various agencies in the Capital.
It was also decided that the waste taken out of the drains after de-silting should be lifted immediately and transported to designated sites rather than leaving them on the edge of the drains from where they again go into the drain, making the whole exercise fruitless.
The L-G asked for this removal to be photographed, transportation to be videographed and updated on the websites of the agencies concerned. For the purpose of de-silting of drains it was directed that pressurised hosing be undertaken so as to forcefully move the silt downstream and not let it settle down. Similarly, to ensure that caving of roads and pathways does not take place during the rainy season, it was directed that proper compaction be done after completion of all civil works.
In an important move, officials were directed to construct concrete cemented roads at sites that were prone to waterlogging and flooding rather than the prevalent bitumen ones.
For the long-term plan of action, the L-G and CM agreed upon a comprehensive study of the city’s drains, gradient and catchment areas so that excess water could be transported to natural/artificial pits, depressions and low lands in the city for long term storage. The L-G and CM directed officials to come up with a time-bound plan for laying of alternate pipelines for storm water drainage. The Drainage Master Plan that had been pending for years was instructed to be expeditiously finalised with the help of experts and domain-specific agencies.