Delhi: Water pumps to be installed to resolve waterlogging issue during monsoons

New Delhi [India], September 23 : In a bid to resolve the waterlogging issue in the national capital during monsoon season, water pumps of high power will be installed at several important routes.
The annual occurrence of waterlogging reminds Delhiites of the man who died last year due to drowning in accumulated water under the Minto Bridge after heavy rainfall.
Waterlogging was a common sight witnessed by many under the colonial-era bridge, which leads to traffic snarls and diversion of routes. However, the situation has significantly improved now. The Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government has also engaged in resolving the problem of other waterlogging sites in view of the unfortunate incident under Minto Bridge.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on August 24 had presided over a review meeting on the 'Drainage Master Plan'. Apart from PWD and Delhi Water Minister Satyendar Jain, officers of related departments were also present during the meeting and all of them were ordered by the Chief Minister to take steps towards resolving the problem of waterlogging at the earliest. The PWD department then identified the major waterlogging sites of Delhi. At least 147 such spots were identified across the metropolitan city.
Besides the railway bridge underpass at Pul Prahladpur, these 147 sites include, Zakhira underpass, Lothian bridge, Tilak bridge, Motibagh flyover, Dwarka Mor, Bhairon Marg, Laxmi metro station on Vikas Marg and Karkardooma metro station, Najafgarh Bijwasan road, Hanuman Mandir and Syama Prasad Mukherjee Marg among others.
After the waterlogging issue under Minto Bridge has been resolved, it is now the turn of the underpass at Pul Prahladpur. Presently, the underpass has two water pumps of 500 horsepower installed. However, after incessant rains, these pumps are not able to function at a faster pace.
The underpass is located a few distance away from the drain of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). A senior official of the PWD department told ANI that for resolving the issue of waterlogging, an agreement has been reached with the SDMC and the department is set to install a powerful 800 HW water pump at Pul Prahladpur underpass. "A pipe will be connected to the nearest drain of the SDMC from the underpass which will pump out the accumulated rainwater," the official informed.
The official also said, "PWD has issued tender for this and the work will start by the end of this month."
Apart from this, the remaining waterlogged sites in Delhi are being monitored via cameras.
A big contributing factor to the resolved waterlogging problem under Minto Bridge are the four CCTV cameras installed under the bridge. In view of resolving the annual waterlogging occurrence that creates chaos, eight CCTV cameras have been installed at Pul Prahladpur, so that arrangement to drain out the water can be done at the earliest.
CCTV cameras have also been installed in many other places including two at Moolchand underpass, eight cameras in and around Tilak Bridge, three cameras in Bhairon Enclave Underpass, five cameras each at Azad Bhawan and at Rose Garden pump house, four cameras each at Zakhira underpass and at Azadpur underpass and six at Badli underpass.