Heavy rain in the Capital for the second consecutive day caused water-logging in several parts of the city and exposed the tall claims of the civic authorities about being monsoon-ready.
The rain, which brought much relief to Delhiites from the scorching heat, caused traffic congestion in Laxmi Nagar, ITO, Kashmere Gate, Munirka, Dwarka and Dhaula Kuan.
During the past two days, water-logging was reported from 36 places in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation areas. In East Delhi, water-logging was reported from 22 areas.
The three BJP-ruled municipal corporations maintain over 700 drains in the city with a width and depth of more than four feet.
The civic bodies passed the buck and complained that the Public Works Department (PWD), which comes under the Congress-ruled Delhi Government, had not cleaned the bigger drains. “There were some cases of water-logging, but they were mainly due to the fact that the bigger drains have not been properly cleaned and desilted, which affects smaller drains as well. I think the PWD should have been more prompt in desilting,” said North Delhi Municipal Corporation leader Mahendra Nagpal. South Corporation Central Zone Chairman Virender Kasana complained of lack of sufficient funds for desilting work. “The BJP-ruled civic bodies have not been allocated adequate funds like the Congress used to do when it ruled the erstwhile civic body,” he said.
The PWD, on the other hand, claimed that it had finished the first operation of desliting on June 15. The rest of the work should be finished over the next two to three days, the agency said, adding that 40 per cent of the bigger drains also receive sewage from colonies and hence needed continuous desilting and cleaning.
“There are over 900 roads covering 1,256 km with the PWD. Removal of sludge and silt taken from drains is in progress in some locations and is expected to be complete within the next two to three days. All the senior PWD officials and engineering staff have been instructed to carry out maintenance of all these roads. About 40 per cent of these drains also receive sewage from colonies, hence need continuous desilting and cleaning. Although desilting and cleaning is a regular process, but this will be further intensified as per requirements,” said a PWD statement.
The department also claimed it has completed short-term as well as long-term measures in 137 locations to ensure that there is no water-logging.
