NDMC’s robotic plan to clear clogged Sunehri Pul drain may miss monsoon onset

The council hopes the project will provide long-term relief to waterlogging hotspots in central Delhi — but admits it may come too late for the current monsoon

In a bid to prevent a repeat of last year’s severe flooding in Lutyens’ Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will use robotic and super sucker machines to desilt key choke-points in the Sunehri Pul drain system — a major cause of waterlogging during monsoon. However, the ₹3.6 crore cleanup operation, which involves complex work in covered and inaccessible stretches, is expected to take at least three months and may not be completed before the rains arrive, officials said.

he plan includes deploying high-capacity robotic arms, chassis-mounted super sucker machines, and high-pressure jetting systems across approximately 200 metres of drainage channels. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The NDMC has floated bids for two separate projects: the first, costing ₹1.91 crore, will target silt removal at the junction of the brick arch barrel and the Sunehri Pul drain near Dayal Singh College on Lodhi Road. The second project, costing ₹1.72 crore, involves robotic desilting of the barrel at Bharti Nagar and Archbishop Makarios Marg, from Q-point to Sunehri Pul Nallah.

“We had initially started work on the project in March and hoped to finish by June, but delays in finding a capable agency have set us back. A fresh tendering process was initiated on May 24 and is likely to conclude by May 30,” an NDMC official said, requesting anonymity.

Because the target sections of the drain are covered and not accessible by conventional equipment, the council has opted for fully mechanised cleaning. The plan includes deploying high-capacity robotic arms, chassis-mounted super sucker machines, and high-pressure jetting systems across approximately 200 metres of drainage channels.

According to project specifications, an estimated 3,150 cubic metres of sludge is to be removed. The entire operation will be documented with 360-degree CCTV cameras that will generate before and after cleaning footage to verify silt removal and ensure transparency.

An NDMC drainage map shows that most internal channels within its jurisdiction — bounded by the Ridge to the west, Yamuna to the east, and Ring Road to the south — ultimately discharge into the Kushak and Sunehri Pul drains, which in turn connect to the Barapullah and eventually the river Yamuna.

“Areas north of India Gate, including Connaught Place, link to the broader MCD drainage system and flow directly to the Yamuna,” another NDMC official said.

The council hopes the project will provide long-term relief to waterlogging hotspots in central Delhi — but admits it may come too late for the current monsoon.