Manish Sisodia orders micro-level measures to tackle flooding in Delhi
A government spokesperson said that the PWD has identified various waterlogging hotspots in the Capital and has been working to prepare infrastructure to prevent future incidents.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the Public Works Department portfolio, reviewed the department’s monsoon preparations on Thursday and directed officials to formulate micro-level plans for water logging hotspots.
A government spokesperson said that the PWD has identified various water logging hotspots in the Capital and has been working to prepare infrastructure to prevent future water logging.
Sisodia said he directed the officials to take all preventive measures and set a deadline for the completion of all desilting works by the end of May.
Delhi witnessed a series of urban flooding episodes during 2021 with the highest annual precipitation (1,512.4mm) on record since 1933, when the city had recorded 1,534.3mm of rain. While Delhi’s drainage system can withstand a maximum of 50mm of daily rainfall, the city recorded several heavy rainfall days during the monsoon in 2021-- 69.6mm on July 19, 100mm rainfall on July 26, 72mm rainfall on July 29, among others.
“The minister directed all drain management departments concerned, including the PWD, to prepare short-term and long-term strategies to prevent water logging in the future. The PWD has identified 147 water logging hotspots and has started working on them,” the spokesperson said.
Large-scale interventions have been planned for water logging hotspots, such as Pul Prahladpur underpass, the area under Zakira flyover, IP Estate Ring Road (opposite WHO building), Jahangirpuri Metro Station Road and Minto Road, the department said.
“At the Pul Prahladpur underpass, the department is constructing an underground sump with a capacity of 750,000 liters and a permanent pump house with 600 horsepower. The construction work of the sump and pump house will be completed by the end of May. Seven temporary pumps will also be installed here, with a total capacity of 500 horsepower,” a PWD official said.
Similarly, at the Zakira flyover site, the PWD is installing screens to block waste from the adjoining railway lines from damaging the drainage network and water pumps.
“Modification of the drains around the Zakira underpass is also taking place at a fast pace. The storm drains carrying water from Nehru Nagar and Anand Parvat will be rerouted,” the department’s action plan said.
PWD officials also said that nine pumps will be installed and a sump with a capacity of 150,000 litres will be developed near IP Estate Ring Road (opposite the WHO building). Near Jahangirpuri Metro Station Road, workers are remodelling the stormwater drain and constructing a permanent pump house. Officials also said the Delhi government plans to set up an alternate drainage system and an automatic water pump near Minto Bridge, which has become a symbol of Delhi’s inability to deal with monsoon.
According to officials, 11 agencies in Delhi oversee a network of natural drainage lines spread over 426.5km, and engineered stormwater drains spread over 3,311.5km. The PWD manages around 2,064km of drain network while the rest are overseen by the three municipal corporations of Delhi, the irrigation and flood control department, Delhi Development Authority and New Delhi Municipal Council. The work on updating the 1976 drainage masterplan of the city is still a work in progress, officials said.
