Waste spill from Okhla landfill damaging road, PWD tells CPCB

The South East Road (SER) division of the PWD has planned to “develop a cement concrete road on the stretch to ensure durability and long term performance under such conditions”

New Delhi The Public Works Department (PWD) has written to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) flagging the mismanagement at Okhla landfill site as waste spilling from Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) garbage trucks causes dust pollution in the area and frequent damage to road surface.

PWD has also proposed to convert the bituminous road surface to cement concrete (Hindustan Times)

Citing the repeated damage being caused due to overflow of sludge, the department has also proposed to convert the bituminous road surface to cement concrete. Uncovered garbage trucks cause maximum brunt in the areas leading towards the three landfills at Okhla, Ghazipur, and Bhalswa, residents have said.

On March 4 this year, HT had reported that PWD has written multiple letters to MCD, stating that sewage overflow mixed with silt from the Okhla landfill is causing damage to the road and creating unsafe driving conditions for motorists.

In a letter dated March 20 to CPCB headquarter, PWD has stated that problems of sludge discharge, heavy vehicular movement, unrepaired excavation have led to a situation that the road is no longer able to withstand these adverse conditions.

“The area experiences continuous movement of heavy trucks transporting waste material to and from the landfill site. Additionally, there is frequent flow of sludge from the MCD Okhla landfill to the main carriageway. This has led to highly unhygienic conditions, accumulation of waste material on road and subsequent dust pollution after drying,” the letter – seen by HT – read.

The South East Road (SER) division of the PWD has planned to “develop a cement concrete road on the stretch to ensure durability and long term performance under such conditions.”

The tendering process is currently in progress and is likely to be completed by May 15, officials said.

Officials from MCD did not respond when HT reached out for a comment on the letter.

PWD has also partly blamed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for the mess on the arterial southeast Delhi road. “The situation has been further aggravated by the excavation carried out by DJB for repair of pipelines. The excavated portions have not been restored, leading to further deterioration of road and contributing to environmental concerns,” the letter mentioned.

A DJB officials said that they will look into the matter. “We will repair all road stretches where digging work has been carried out and look into delays in this case,” official said.

PWD had undertaken a traffic volume survey of Ma Anandmayee Marg, which revealed that the road has a traffic volume exceeding 10,000 PCU (passenger car units) per hour. This often increases further during the peak hour between 9.30am and 10.30am. The stretch remains a hub of civic woes with issues such as damaged road, stray cattle, overflow to poor drainage.

HT had earlier reported that leakages from a nearby reservoir were damaging Ma Anandmayee Marg. PWD had written to the DJB in December and January, urging them to address the leakage source and compensate PWD for recurring repair work on the road.

“Due to constant leakage of water from the DJB facility near ESI Hospital, the Ma Anandmayee Marg maintained by the PWD is getting damaged… We are requesting you to take steps to plug the leakage source. Otherwise, the DJB will have to bear the expenses for carrying out repair work on the damaged road,” the note had said, following which the repair work was carried out.