Rs 62 cr worth of projects to keep Yamuna in check

The Delhi government today announced a series of development initiatives to protect Delhiites in case the Yamuna gets flooded again.

The Delhi government on Monday announced a series of development initiatives to protect Delhiites in case the Yamuna gets flooded again.

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The government's flood control board cleared 27 projects, worth Rs 62 crore, to strengthen embankments, improve the drainage system, construct access roads and bridges and carry out anti-erosion works along the Yamuna. These works are also aimed at protecting government land along the irrigation and flood control drains.

Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister and chairman of the flood control board, AK Walia, said, "We plan to construct 11 bridges on various drains at different locations. The major works include the construction of parallel bridge along the existing ASI-protected Mughal Bridge across the old course of the Najafgarh drain."

A number of colonies have come up along the Wazaribad Bridge. The government will construct a double-lane steel girder bridge across the old Najafgarh drain to provide easy connectivity from the Outer Ring Road to lakhs of residents in these colonies.

To check erosion of the river bed and to help the river stay away from the current embankments and keep on its original course, the government will construct six retention walls at different locations.

Due to the flood, the main flow of river Yamuna has shifted at various locations towards the marginal embankments. The retention walls will be constructed at places where there has been an active shifting of the river flow.

Walia directed the officials to keep a regular tab on the safety of the people living in the embankment areas in the ongoing monsoon season.

"The fact that the water safely passed away last week without flooding any residential area outside the embankments came as a big relief," he added.