Over 50% de-silting completed in 77 drains: Minister

Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Friday said his department is working on a war footing to de-silt the drains as part of monsoon preparedness, and more than 50 per cent of the process in 77 identified drains was completed.

He also informed that more than 14 lakh metric tonnes of silt were removed so far. The department has set a target of 28 lakh metric tonnes, and work is being carried out continuously to meet this goal within timelines, the minister said.

Parvesh Sahib Singh made these assertions after conducting an on-ground inspection of de-silting work at two critical IFCD drains, the Delhi Gate drain and the Barapulla drain. The visit highlighted both the scale and seriousness of efforts underway to tackle waterlogging in the capital before the onset of rains.

In a major development, the Delhi Gate drain, which had remained covered with slabs for nearly 40 years, is now being opened up for thorough cleaning. For decades, the covered structure had severely restricted proper desilting, contributing to repeated waterlogging in nearby areas.

For the first time in four decades, slabs are being dismantled to allow complete access to the drain, enabling deep cleaning and restoration of its carrying capacity.

The Minister informed that de-silting at the Delhi Gate drain has already crossed 70 per cent, with over 21,000 metric tonnes of silt removed so far.