CM proposes single body for cleaning drains

Says it could lead to better coordination, long-term plan

With several agencies responsible for different parts of the city’s drainage, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday proposed setting up a new special purpose vehicle (SPV) for cleaning of drains.

Speaking at the meeting of the apex committee for flood control in the city, he said a single body to coordinate the work of de-silting of drains would help going forward. “There is multiplicity of agencies in Delhi as far as cleaning of drains is concerned. We must try for a SPV for better coordination and cleaning. Such an integrated body will help in the long term,” he said, as per a statement released by his office.

Currently, drains that are under four feet wide are maintained by the civic bodies, those that run along roads over 60 feet wide by the PWD and those above 1,000 cusecs in flow by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

‘Primitive methods’

At the review meeting, attended by officials from various government departments, municipalities, police and the DDA, the plan for preventing flooding during the monsoon was discussed. While it would be too late for this rainy season, he instructed officials to procure additional machinery to clean drains in time for monsoon next year. He said the way the PWD and the civic bodies clean drains was “very primitive”.

“Garbage from drains is kept on the side of the road to dry up and then taken away when it dries. In the process, a part of the garbage again goes back into the drain. This is done nowhere else in the world,” he said.