MCD turns blind eye to open drains

A number of lives have been lost in the past due to uncovered drains and ditches but the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is yet to learn its lesson. Rather than taking action, the civic agency believes in passing the buck. Residents claim their complaints go unanswered.

A number of lives have been lost in the past due to uncovered drains and ditches but the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is yet to learn its lesson.

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Rather than taking action, the civic agency believes in passing the buck. Residents claim their complaints go unanswered.

Whenever any area is dug up according to the MCD rules, there are basic safety measures that need to be taken at site. For instance, the civic agency is supposed to cordon off the site and ensure proper lighting at the spot where digging is being carried out but this is hardly done in reality.

"Most of the manhole covers in our area are missing. We have complained a number of times to the MCD but no one seems to bother. They always say that it will be done but in reality the situation stays the same. We are not able to send our kids to play outside fearing they might fall in one of the drains," said Manish Vishen, a resident of Krishna Nagar.

Even when there is a cover on the manhole people try not to step on fearing it might cave in. "I have heard so many stories about people falling into the drains that I make a conscious effort not to step on any of these covers fearing it might give way," said Namrata Bhardwaj, a resident of Sukhdev Vihar.

The situation becomes worse whenever it rains and the streets are waterlogged. "We are not able to make out if the drains are covered or not. It is quite scary to walk on the streets when it rains," said Arpita Bhargava, a resident of Tilak Nagar in West Delhi.