‘Responsible govt doesn’t take issues faced by people lightly’: Delhi minister

Delhi’s PWD minister Satyendar Jain asked officials to focus on cleanliness, maintenance, and desilting “as soon as possible” in order to mitigate waterlogging scenarios.

With monsoon wreaking havoc in the national capital where several important stretches were waterlogged, Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday asked officials to stay active in addressing complaints from citizens.

Heavy rainfall during the ongoing monsoon time has caused to waterlogging situations in Delhi.

“The foremost responsibility of a responsible government is to not take any problem being faced by the people lightly and a steadfast administration is paramount for a people-oriented government which the Delhi government is,” the minister said in a statement.

In the meeting, discussions on the waterlogging problem in Narela Industrial Estate owing to the low capacity of the existing drain in the area were also done.

Jain said that issues such as cleanliness, desilting, maintenance or even building new drains, if required, should be done “as soon as possible.” “Not only just in Narela but anywhere in the city so that the people of Delhi don’t face any problems due to waterlogging,” Jain, who is also the national capital’s health minister, added.

A similar meeting chaired by Jain last month saw him instructing officials for the rapid refurbishment of roads, which were damaged from waterlogging.

In the ongoing monsoon, Delhi received massive rainfall ranging between 27.6mm to 126.8mm that was recorded at the Safdarjung weather station on Sunday.

Moreover, waterlogging was reported in many important parts of the city such as Sarita Vihar, ITO, Yamuna Bazar and Anand Vihar, among others. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi may receive a good spell of rain on Friday.

The MeT department officials said that the monsoon trough that had shifted towards the south – thereby causing more rain in Rajasthan, is “likely to come close to Delhi by Thursday evening” causing moderate to heavy rains.

(With inputs from PTI)