Delhi LG visits INA drain; instructs officials to immediately desilt and clean it

New Delhi [India], September 4 : Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena inspected the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's drain at INA during a visit and instructed the officials to immediately desilt and clean it.
The "massive" desilting and cleaning operations commenced on September 3.
According to a statement from the LG Office, Delhi LG, VK Saxena, has intensified efforts to address the longstanding problem of clogged INA drain in the INA Market area opposite Dilli Haat.
"This MCD drain, not cleaned and desilted for several years, is filled with thousands of tonnes of garbage and construction debris. Saxena's visit to the area was the first by any high-ranking dignitary during the last 10 years," the statement said.
The statement further added, "The de-silting operation commenced with the use of heavy machinery at three different spots of the drain in the area on September 3, immediately after the LG's visit to the site. MCD officials estimated that the drain contained over 50,000 tonnes of waste, which included garbage and construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Despite the significant challenge, over a thousand tonnes of debris were removed on the first day alone and will continue till the drain is totally cleaned."
"This 6.5-kilometre-long drain, which feeds into the Kushak Drain and eventually drains into the Yamuna River, is heavily clogged with garbage, overflowing sewage, and monsoon rainwater. Apart from heavy encroachment of its embankment, legacy structural faults by way of closely placed pillars in the drains right of way, not only affect the flow of water but also make de-silting difficult," it added.
The statement further added that this clogged drain causes heavy waterlogging, backflow, and overflow in areas like INA Market, Sewa Nagar, Sadiq Nagar, Ansari Nagar, South Ex I and AIIMS crossing on Ring Road, amongst others.
Following LG's inspection of the area yesterday, heavy machinery was deployed after breaking portions of the side walls of the INA drain to access it. The LG instructed officials to create a permanent ramp alongside the drain to facilitate future cleaning operations, it added.
"Saxena was informed that informal settlements (Jhuggis) located at the banks of the MCD's INA Drain were contributing to the significant pollution of the drain by dumping large quantities of garbage and sewage directly into it. Some Jhuggis had extended right into the way of the drain as well. He instructed the MCD officials to construct a fence around the drain to prevent people from dumping waste into it," the statement added.
It may be noted that de-silting of the Kushak Drain, into which the INA drain feeds, had begun on August 4, following a previous visit by the LG, it added.

This project marks the fifth drain after Shahadra, Kushak, Sunehri Nallah and Barapulla Drains that the LG has inspected and instructed for cleaning. By addressing the desilting and cleaning of these drains, the LG aims to mitigate the chronic problem of water logging and sewer overflow in neighbouring areas that house lakhs of Delhi residents, apart from housing many commercial hubs and hospitals, as per the statement.