Rajghat roads flooded days after rain due to pump failure, drain blockage

New Delhi: Four days after heavy rain lashed the Capital, parts of the Rajghat complex remained inundated till Monday, with the Public Works Department (PWD) stating that a pump failure and ongoing drainage work have left some stretches under knee-deep water

New Delhi: Four days after heavy rain lashed the Capital, parts of the Rajghat complex remained inundated till Monday, with the Public Works Department (PWD) stating that a pump failure and ongoing drainage work have left some stretches under knee-deep water.

Stagnant water continues to cover the roads near Vir Bhumi in Rajghat (HT)

The worst-affected areas were the service roads near Shanti Sthal and Vir Bhumi, where stagnant water continued to cover the carriageway despite no fresh rain since Thursday.

“Pipeline-laying work is under way in the area, and water is being diverted from there. Additionally, one of the three pumps stopped working, which further delayed draining the water,” said a PWD official.

On Monday afternoon, a team of workers entered the flooded stretch, manually probing drains to locate and clear the obstruction. Others waded through the murky water as officials supervised the exercise. The water level remained high enough to force pedestrians and maintenance staff to move cautiously through the area.

Officials said the drains around Rajghat had been desilted before the monsoon, but ongoing drainage work led to continued waterlogging that also affected access to parts of the memorial complex and adjoining service lanes.

“We completed desilting of the drains in the area before the monsoon. Our teams are on the ground, manually inspecting the drainage network to identify the exact location of the blockage. Once traced, the obstruction will be removed and the accumulated water will be drained out,” the official said.

The department has also started using supersucker machines to drain the water and expects to clear the area by Tuesday evening.

The incident highlights a localised drainage issue in the Rajghat area, even as civic agencies have reported improved performance at several traditional waterlogging hotspots this season following pre-monsoon desilting and pump deployment.

Officials said inspection of the underground drainage network around Rajghat would continue until the blocked section is located and normal drainage is restored. Meanwhile, additional mobile pumps are also being deployed.