New master plan for city's drainage system on anvil

Even as waterlogged roads and choked drains continue to be challenge for the civic agencies during monsoon, the Delhi government has decided to speed up its work to improve drainage system in the Capital.

Even as waterlogged roads and choked drains continue to be challenge for the civic agencies during monsoon, the Delhi government has decided to speed up its work to improve drainage system in the Capital.

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Senior Delhi government officials said they would soon appoint a consultant to prepare a new master plan for city's drainage system. The existing master plan, prepared in 1976, has lost its relevance due to extensive urbanisation and massive growth in population.

Delhi revenue minister Ashok Kumar Walia said they are waiting for an approval from the finance department to call tenders for the appointment of the consultant. "Keeping the existing drainage system in mind, the consultant will prepare a master plan, suggesting which drains need to be widened, where do we need to construct new drains and how to connect the drains together to ensure that the storm water is channelised properly and the possibility of waterlogging is eliminated," Walia said.

Delhi's roads are often flooded with rainwater even after a short spell of rain. In most areas, the drains are either blocked or have been filled or do not have enough capacity.

According to officials, there are more than 5,000 big and small stormwater drains in the Capital with more than 4,000 falling under the MCD's jurisdiction. Although most of the drains are with MCD, NDMC and the cantonment board, officials said they have taken up the responsibility to prepare the master plan keeping its urgency in mind.

The government had initially planned to prepare the master plan itself. However, keeping in view the enormity of work and shortage of officers, staff and machinery in the department of irrigation and flood control (I&FC), it later decided to outsource the work.

The I&FC department's earlier attempt to appoint a consultant in 2007 fell flat after it failed to get government approval to appoint a consultant.

"The consultant will be given 18 months to prepare the document. Once the master plan is approved, all concerned agencies will simultaneously take up the improvement of drainage system," an I&FC department official said.