Noida authority launches ₹10 crore drain-cleaning drive ahead of rains

Noida authority has ordered drain cleaning before monsoon, allocating ₹10 crore for the project to prevent flooding. Completion is aimed by June 30.

The Noida authority on Tuesday said it has directed all circle officials to clean and de-silt city drains in all sectors before the arrival of monsoon. Officials said ₹10 crore has been earmarked for the project.

The authority said tenders for some drains have already been issued and the remaining process will be completed shortly. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

AK Arora, general manager of Noida authority, told HT, “All ten work circles are directed to issue tenders in their respective jurisdictions without delay. If the drains are not cleaned on time, action will be taken against senior manager of the respective work circles.”

Noida has 25 arterial stormwater drains spread across nearly 87km. Among the major drains are the 9.4km channel connecting Sector 44 to 136, the 8.3km drain linking Harola in Sector 5 to Sector 51, 7.9km stretch connecting Sector 64 to Mamura Crossing, a 1.1km drain from Sector 62 to Labour Chowk and the 2.3km drain connecting Nithari to Sector 39, among others, said officials.

The authority said tenders for some drains have already been issued and the remaining process will be completed shortly. The authority said that the aim is to complete the cleaning of drains across the city by June 30, said officials.

At present, several arterial stormwater drains across the city are clogged with muck and garbage, severely affecting their carrying capacity ahead of the monsoon season.

In July last year, moderate rainfall triggered severe waterlogging and traffic chaos on a 500-metre stretch in Sector 62 connecting the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and NH-9. Flooded road brought traffic to a near standstill as commuters waded through submerged streets. Residents and officials had blamed the situation on stormwater flowing in from the adjoining Khoda area, which overwhelmed Noida’s drainage infrastructure.

In Noida, stormwater drains channel rainwater into larger drainage networks. However, when drains are not cleaned before the monsoon, silt, plastic waste, and construction debris accumulate inside them, reducing their discharge capacity. During heavy rainfall, the blocked drains fail to release water quickly, leading to overflow on roads and inundation in low-lying areas.