Delhi L-G inspects chronic waterlogging sites

New Delhi [India], July 2 : Noting that Minto Bridge is among the worst waterlogging sites in Delhi, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Saturday inspected Delhi's chronic waterlogging sites, including Indraprastha WHO stretch, Railway underpass at Pul Prahladpur and Minto Bridge.
The Lieutenant Governor instructed officials to make the water drainage system fool-proof.
Accompanied by the Chief Secretary and senior officials of various government departments and traffic police, Saxena reviewed the long-term solutions that have been placed at each of these sites to prevent waterlogging and flooding.
The Lieutenant Governor first visited the IP-WHO stretch on ring road where four pumps of 100 HP each have been installed to clear the water from the roads and store it in a newly constructed sump adjacent to the Ring Road. Further, the water from the sump will be channelized into the Yamuna through two separate underground pipelines of 650 meter-length each that can collectively carry nearly 5 lakh liters of water.
The entire mechanism to clear waterlogging was tested successfully during the heavy rains on June 30. The LG instructed the officials to utilize the 5 lakh liters of water stored in these pipelines for greening purposes after the rainy season.
Similarly, at the railway underpass at Pul Prahladpur that witnesses nearly 5-6 feet deep waterlogging during the monsoon, the L-G inspected the newly developed pumping station where 6 pumps of 100 HP capacity each have been installed to clear the overflowing water. At this location, the water pumped out from the road and collected in a 6-lakh liter capacity sump, will be channelized into an MCD sewer at a distance of 200 meters from the pumping station.
The L-G was informed that two pumps at this site have been made operational while the remaining pumps will be made functional within a week. L-G expressed displeasure at the water drainage system developed at Minto Bridge. Saxena flagged the technical flaws in the drainage system developed at the site and warned that the concerned engineers will be held responsible and strict action will be taken in case waterlogging takes place at the site.
L-G informed that a new underground pipeline has been installed to drain out the rainwater from Minto Bridge to Bhavbhuti Marg towards New Delhi Railway Station. The new pipeline is connected to a bigger PWD drain. He was also informed that 4 pumps of 75 HP each have been automated at this site and with increasing level of water, the pumps automatically become operational.
Saxena also expressed displeasure over the garbage dumped in the sump at Minto Bridge and issued strict instructions to remove all garbage and sludge in 3-4 days and report the same along with photographic and video evidence. At Indraprastha and Pul Prahladpur too, the L-G directed officials to immediately remove all debris, sludge lying near the drains so that they do not flow back into the drains along with the rainwater and further choke the drains.
At each of these sites, Saxena instructed the engineers to ensure proper gradient of the new pipelines so as prevent the backflow of water from the bigger drains. He said, any negligence will be viewed seriously and action will be taken against the erring officials.