Delhi’s Pul Prahladpur no longer a waterlogging hotspot

PWD officials claimed to have taken permanent measures to ensure the Pul Prahladpur underpass does not get flooded during rains

The Public Works Department (PWD) has removed the Pul Prahladpur underpass from its list of waterlogging hotspots this year as it did not record waterlogging during monsoon last year, officials said.

A view of a waterlogged Pul Prahladpur underpass after heavy rains in August 2021. (HT Archive)

The underpass is notorious for being submerged in monsoons, even leading to the death of a person due to drowning in 2022.

Officials said the agency has taken permanent measures to ensure the spot does not get inundated during rains, including creating a large sump to collect rainwater pumped from the site.

The Minto Bridge underpass, another waterlogging hotspot, was removed from the list last year. Three areas remaining in the waterlogging hotspot include the Loni underpass, Zakhira flyover and Karala-Kanjhawala road.

“All required work was completed around monsoon last year to solve the waterlogging issues under Pul Prahladpur. We kept it under 24-hour surveillance last year. After no waterlogging was reported, we have removed it as a hotspot this year,” said a senior PWD official.

PWD started monitoring CCTVs and laid additional discharge pipelines at Pul Prahladpur, apart from creating an underground sump of 750,000 litres, the officials added.

“As the water level rises, the additional discharge pipelines are used to pump out water from the road, which can be collected at the sump even during very high rainfall. From the sump, the water will be slowly discharged,” said a second official.

PWD officials said that all three waterlogging hotspots – Minto Road bridge, Pul Prahladpur underpass and Ring Road near the WHO building – will not report any waterlogging this year.

“We have planned pumphouses and underground sumps at the three other locations. Work is ongoing and the results will only be visible by next year,” the second official added.

According to data provided by Delhi police, there were 308 critical locations across the city after monsoons last year where waterlogging was reported. Of these, about 210 locations were under PWD. Officials said that the desilting of 2,100km of drains under PWD ahead of monsoons is being done and will be completed by June 15.