Day after Delhi storm, govt says sent QRTs, but trees still on roads

A day after a thunderstorm uprooted trees across several parts of Delhi, killing at least four people, damaging infrastructure, and causing traffic jams, residents on Saturday said they were not aware of the Quick Response Teams (QRT) formed by chief minister Rekha Gupta just a fortnight ago to assist people in such emergencies.

Several government departments reported that more than 100 trees and branches fell during Friday’s unprecedented storm. Residents said that despite complaints to departments, some trees that fell on or along roads on Friday were still lying there on Saturday.

“In case of fallen trees and electricity disruption, we usually call the horticulture department and the power discom. We are not aware of any QRTs operating for these matters,” said Ashok Bose, vice president, East Bengal Displacement Persons Association (apex body of all RWA associations of CR Park).

A Delhi government official, however, said that QRTs are working in three shifts in all districts under the supervision of senior revenue department officials.

HT reached out to several departments and the CM’s office for details of action taken by QRTs on Friday, but details were not provided till the time of going to print. Officials said that all complaints on the 112 emergency helpline about fallen trees will be diverted to the QRTs.

“A tree broke and fell on the road near Saket Khokha market on Friday and it is still there obstructing the road,” said Amit Bauddh, a Saket resident.

A Vasant Kunj resident posted a photo from near the car market area adding that a tree was lying there since Friday morning.

A resident of CR Park, Arijit Sengupta, posted on X, “Repeated requests to cut dead trees in front of my house have been made but no action has been taken. My car was damaged last year, and I filed a police complaint too. Is MCD waiting for trees to fall and damage property or kill people.”

QRTs comprise of officials from the revenue department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), forest department and discoms. In New Delhi district, QRTs do not have officials from discoms as all electrical lines are underground.

Meanwhile, residents stressed the need for a citywide tree census to ensure that damaged trees are removed or replaced with healthy plantation to prevent accidents during adverse weather conditions. The demand was seconded by Malviya Nagar MLA Satish Upadhyay, who appealed to the district magistrate and other authorities to get a tree census done as soon as possible. 

On Friday, a 26-year-old woman and her three young children were killed when a portion of a tree fell on their house in Najafgarh during the storm.

Environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari said that trees in Delhi fall during storms not just due to strong winds but due to years of neglect, concretised roots, no tree census and failure to implement National Green Tribunal orders.