New Delhi [India], March 16 : Delhi LG VK Saxena along with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and PwD minister Parvesh Verma on Sunday inspected and reviewed the condition of three major drains - Barapullah, Kushak, and Sunehri Pullah - in the national capital and issued strict instructions to officials to complete the desilting work on time before the monsoon.
The newly formed government in Delhi has already begun their preparations for monsoon, when waterlogging becomes a major issue in various parts of Delhi. To prevent similar situation this time, the government has directed the officials strictly and is on ground. This is why both the LG and CM Gupta along with PwD minister Verma personally inspected the drains together.
"Chief Minister said that this year there should be no water logging in the state and that is why this plan was made that we both should together go and inspect the major drains of the state. We inspected the drains at Barapullah, Sunhari Pul and I am sure that after the instructions given by the Chief Minister the work will be completed on time. The coordination with the government is going well, and the instructions given by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to the administration will ensure that drain cleaning is completed swiftly. This will help prevent waterlogging issues for Delhi residents this year," the Lieutenant Governor said.
In the past, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi government blamed each other for the waterlogging, leaving residents to suffer. However, with the new government in place, the focus is on coordination among officials to ensure that drain cleaning is completed promptly.
These drains were never taken seriously by previous governments and were "never cleaned," CM Gupta said.
"There was no clear accountability among agencies regarding which one was responsible for their maintenance. We have now assigned the desilting responsibility to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. Our top priority is to prevent waterlogging during the monsoon, and the work is being carried out on a war footing. Additionally, we will seek written updates from MLAs regarding the progress of desilting drains and sewage management," the CM said.
She further said, "Delhi was developed in an unplanned manner, with drains lacking proper chambers and outlets. These issues cannot be resolved by simply sitting in air-conditioned rooms or holding press conferences. Since early morning, we have been working as a team to inspect drain outlets and ensure that the people of Delhi do not suffer from waterlogging. Our primary goal is the welfare of the people."
The existing drains lack adequate water capacity, and their maintenance is not properly managed, leading to waterlogging.
The chief minister emphasized that any project undertaken should be planned with a vision for the next 100 years. She reaffirmed that the government's priority is the welfare of Delhi's residents, ensuring they do not face any inconvenience.