Civic Body uses machines to clean drains in Old Delhi

While the ‘Skid Steer Loader’ machines were purchased in January 2018, the corporation could not put them to use during last monsoon.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation hopes to clean smaller drains in Chandni Chowk, Rohini and Paharganj more effectively, before the arrival of monsoon, with the use of 14 Skid Steer Loader machines for the first time.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation hopes to clean smaller drains in Chandni Chowk, Rohini and Paharganj more effectively, before the arrival of monsoon, with the use of 14 Skid Steer Loader machines for the first time. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

“These machines work perfectly on drains narrower than 4-feet and will help us in desilting drains in old Delhi, urban villages and unauthorised colonies well,” said a senior engineer with the corporation who did not wish to be named.

While the ‘Skid Steer Loader’ machines were purchased in January 2018, the corporation could not put them to use during last monsoon. The sanitation staff of the civic body was yet to completely learn to operate them. A driver with the corporation had also died in an accident involving the Skid Steer Loader.

“Since then, the machines were lying defunct with us though they had been bought at a cost of around ₹2.85 crore. Our commissioner, Varsha Joshi, then decided to give the contract for operations and maintenance of the machines to the same company from which we had bought them. Now, the company’s staff is operating them on our drains since May 1, and they are working perfectly,” a senior officer said.

The body handles 877 small drains narrower than 4 feet with a total length of 499km. These drains are handled by its sanitation department and were earlier cleaned with the help of manual scavengers, officials said.