Filth surrounds MCD’s swanky premises

Even as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi shifts its headquarters, in phases, starting Thursday, roads around its new premises remain filthy.

Even as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi shifts its headquarters, in phases, starting Thursday, roads around its new premises remain filthy.

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Despite being billed as state-of-the-art and glitzy, the state of the roads here leaves much to be desired. The condition is really bad on the south-western side — the lane behind Zakir Hussain College, with stagnant pools of water there.

A sewer line on Tagore Road, belonging to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was damaged a few months ago, leading to accumulation of rainwater and sewage.

“The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) carried out a de-watering operation during and after the recent monsoon to solve the problem immediately,” said Deep Mathur, director, press and information, MCD.

On the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, opposite the entrance near the petrol pump, sewage has been overflowing for days now.

A permanent solution to the problem requires major restoration by the DJB upto Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg.

“The issue was taken up at the highest level with the Delhi government and the DJB. It was decided that the DJB would complete the restoration within three months,” Mathur said.

MCD claims it is carrying out dense carpeting on Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg and would do the same for all roads around the Civic Centre.

However, three major impediments remain. “Two major valves of DJB pipeline fall on the carriageway. Then, there are some encroachments on public land. Also, the boundary wall of the police building is coming in the way and needs to be removed,” the MCD official said.

Ramesh Negi, CEO, DJB said, “Our work has already begun and we would be completing it by the first week of December.”

On Thursday, the first day of the first phase of shifting, nobody was sure which of the departments slated to shift had actually moved.