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Ahead of monsoon, PWD sets 20-cm flooding limit to halt traffic movement around underpasses
New Delhi: Ahead of monsoon arrival, the state Public Works Department (PWD) has written to the Delhi Police to temporarily halt traffic movement around underpasses and low-lying areas in case the depth of the flooding crosses 20 cm
New Delhi: Ahead of monsoon arrival, the state Public Works Department (PWD) has written to the Delhi Police to temporarily halt traffic movement around underpasses and low-lying areas in case the depth of the flooding crosses 20 cm.
PWD officials said that this is being implemented in order to avert any accident on account of waterlogging. The PWD move comes in the backdrop of a drowning of a mini-truck driver last year in the flooded Minto Bridge in central Delhi. Last year, the road-owning agency stopped traffic at Minto Bridge only after the water level reached 45 cm.
“We will keep updating the traffic police about the water levels, following which they can barricade the areas. Besides, all the on-ground staff have been asked to stay vigilant and pay special attention on timely draining of water from areas that are prone to waterlogging,” said a senior PWD official.
A senior traffic police officer said the department is “already coordinating with the PWD”. “We will be taking all measures for the same,” said a senior police officer.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the monsoon will reach the city on July 10, with widespread rainfall and ‘isolated’ heavy rainfall predicted across the Capital from July 11-13.
“We have briefed our executive staff on regular monitoring and coordination with the police as and when rainwater starts accumulating at a point. They have been told to keep a watch on all such vulnerable locations, such as underpasses, where once there is heavy rainfall, the water starts rising in no time from 20 cm to, say, 40 cm. This arrangement can effectively prevent accidents due to heavy waterlogging,” the official said.
According to officials, there are around 40-50 ‘vulnerable’ locations where there is waterlogging every monsoon. Of these, five are ‘most vulnerable’, including Minto Bridge, Moolchand, Zakhira, Pul Prahladpur, Peeragarhi. The other vulnerable locations include Ashram flyover, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, AIIMS crossing, Dwarka underpass, Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, near RTR flyover, Mathura Road, Punjabi Bagh, Vikas Marg and Laxmi Nagar, among others.
Experts said that though the issue of waterlogging needs long-term solutions, such as redesigning of the drainage system and its separation from the sewerage network, accidents occur only due to “mechanical failure” or “human failure”. Some felt that the step taken by the agency to establish better coordination can help prevent untoward incidents as well as create a sense of urgency in responding to such events.
Former PWD chief Sarvagya Srivastava said that accidents such as drowning due to submerged stretches can be avoided with effective coordination and vigilant staff. “In case of underpasses, which are below the ground level and have a natural tendency of accumulating water, functional pumps and round-the-clock vigil could help drain out excess water before it reaches the danger mark. Similarly, the pumping stations near the vulnerable points must be alert and keep coordinating with the traffic police so that traffic movement can be halted in time,” he said.
Sewa Ram, professor (transport planning) at the School of Planning and Architecture, however, said that these are temporary measures and that the government agencies must also focus on fixing drain and road designs on stretches that are routinely inundated during monsoon showers.
“This could work as a measure to immediately tackle the problem and to avoid any mishap due to waterlogging, but it is still a little short-sighted. While doing this, we must also focus on fixing the problems on these stretches so that a permanent solution can be found,” he said.
