NDMC chairman apologises for delay in clearing Delhi waterlogging: ‘Can’t be an excuse'

The NDMC chairman said that the waterlogging clearing process, which usually took around 15-20 minutes, took longer at three to four locations.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Wednesday apologised for a delay in clearing the waterlogging caused by heavy rain in the city the previous day.

Massive waterlogging is seen inside Teliwara Market in the Sadar Bazaar area , in New Delhi. (Ishant Chauhan/HT)

NDMC chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi explained the situation in a series of posts on X. He said that the waterlogging clearing process, which usually took around 15-20 minutes, took longer at three to four locations.

Delhi saw unprecedented downpour at the start of the week, taking the total rainfall to 107.8mm till 8.30pm on Tuesday, as reported by HT earlier. Intense rain crippled the traffic situation in Delhi on Tuesday, leaving several key roads waterlogged.

"More than 72 mm of rainfall was recorded in less than two hours," Dwivedi said in a post on X, describing the intensity of the spell as "unexpected".

‘Can’t be an excuse'

While Dwivedi acknowledged that draining out water took longer than usual in some parts, he also said that heavy rain "cannot be an excuse" for the delay.

"Usually we can clear the waterlogging within 15-20 minutes. But despite our best efforts in at least 3-4 areas water was fully drained out in more than an hour," he said.

"This cannot be an excuse and we will have to strengthen our systems to deal with such situations in future," he added.

The NDMC chairman also said that several short term and long term measures were in the works to deal with the waterlogging problem better, and also invited suggestions from residents. “We will work to ensure that our citizens should not face any inconvenience in future. Any suggestions for improvement are welcome,” he wrote.

Delhi-NCR rain woes

Water accumulation was seen in several parts of Delhi as the week began with an intense rain spell. Waterlogging was reported on Ashoka Road, Raisina Road, Parliament Street, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, around Connaught Place and RML Hospital, and areas near the Supreme Court and AIIMS, among others.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said that drainage, sewerage and waterlogging remained among the key issues the government is working on. “We are working on long-term solutions. We are laying new sewer lines and approving projects worth crores of rupees to find long-term solutions to the issue,” Gupta said.

Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma also said that long-term measures are being taken at 21 spots, while short-term interventions are being made at several other points.