Beautified Delhi wary of monsoon

May 01, 2010 05:13 pm | Updated 05:13 pm IST - NEW DELHI:

Renovation work in progress for the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2010, near Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar.

Renovation work in progress for the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2010, near Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar.

Realising that water-logging during the monsoon this year could damage work worth crores of rupees on the city roads that are being re-laid and beautified ahead of the Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday exhorted all agencies involved in flood control measures, construction, street-scaping, beautification and cleanliness work to put extra efforts to avoid the situation from arising and to address it effectively in case of floods.

Ms. Dikshit, who chaired a meeting of Flood Control Apex Committee, said the exercise assumes significance in view of the upcoming Games. A number of decisions pertaining to flood control and water-logging prevention measures pertaining to the Games were also taken at the meeting.

The Chief Minister said in view of large-scale construction going on in connection with the Commonwealth Games projects a large amount of debris has accumulated on many of the roads. She said the ongoing work of street-scaping and beautification has also resulted in accumulation of debris, whose removal was essential to make the city clean.

Ms. Dikshit also instructed the concerned agencies to complete all the infrastructure construction by June so that finishing work could be taken up thereafter.

Significantly, the Delhi Traffic Police has also been instructed to see that all the traffic lights are in perfect working condition ahead of the monsoons since last year a large number of traffic jams had been reported from across the city due to these lights going on the blink during the rainy season. The Traffic Police has also been instructed to plan a comprehensive signage system during the Games.

The Chief Minister also instructed that the civic agencies concentrate on areas that are traditionally known to be prone to water-logging points such as the area near Dr. Sen Nursing Home near Chhatrasal Stadium in Model Town, and GT Road from Azadpur to Mukarba Chowk.

At the meeting deliberations also took place on the other aspects of flood control measures. The Chief Minister directed the constitution of a high level committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta to monitor all matters relating to water-logging, flood and cleanliness on roads.

The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister A.K. Walia, PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, Labour Minister Mangat Ram Singhal, Health Minister Kiran Walia besides the Chief Secretary, MCD Commissioner K.S. Mehra, Development Commissioner Deepak Spolia and senior officers from various departments.

The Chief Minister said the Flood Control Order 2010, which was issued earlier this month, has come into force and informed that Secretary (Revenue)-cum-Divisional Commissioner, who is in-charge of flood control and relief measures, will function as Convener Secretary of the Committee. A Central Flood Control Room will also be established in June in the office of Deputy Commissioner (East).

The need for removing debris from roads and removing silt from the drains was also stressed. It was decided that de-silting of the entire length of 1,550 drains would be completed by May this year. A team of 27 Sub-Divisional Magistrates has been constituted to inspect the progress of this work and it would take up the job as a third party checking system.

The meeting was informed that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi had installed 102 pumping stations at different locations with generator back-up for disposal of storm water. Apart from this its mobile pumping units will also remain available in different zones in case of any eventuality.

As for the power distribution companies, it was decided that the discoms would ensure round-the-clock power supply to the MCD pumping stations during monsoon. Besides, 135 critical points have been identified and super-suckers will be deployed there in sufficient numbers. The arrangements made by Delhi Jal Board, Northern Railway, National Highway Authority of India for the monsoon were also discussed by the Apex Committee that would now meet in June to review the preparedness for the rainy season.

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