Delhi’s summer rain spell puts monsoon prep in focus

With torrential rainfall last Friday leaving several areas of the Capital grappling with waterlogging and inundation, residents questioned the early desilting work being carried out by agencies and alleged that the process was being carried out “selectively”.

According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) data, work is going on at a slow pace, with less than 25% of the target under the first phase achieved from January till April 25, even as the deadline of May 31is less than a month away.

“Under the first phase, the work of clearing the drains is carried out between January to May before the onset of monsoon. The second phase is between June and December. Bulk of the work is carried out in the first phase. We may have to extend the deadline of the first phase to June 15,” a civic official, who did not wish to be named, said.

MCD oversees 12,892 smaller drains (having a width/height of less than four feet) that span 6,069.99 kilometres; and 40,086 metric tonnes (MT) of silt were to be cleared under the first phase. However, until April 25, only 9,474.8MT of silt was removed, which is 23.97% of the target. Among MCD’s 12 zones, work is slowest in Civil Lines, South, West and Karol Bagh, according to an MCD report, a copy of which was accessed by HT. Above-average work was carried out in City Sadar, Paharganj, Najafgarh and Keshavpuram zones, it said.

In terms of larger drains (having a width/height greater than four feet), MCD oversees 800 in total, which span a length of 530 kilometres. Against a target of clearing 129,392.85MT silt under the first phase, only 27,589MT have been cleared, which is 21.32% of the target. The corporation has not been able to achieve the 100% target at any of the 800 larger drains, the official cited above said.

MCD officials did not respond to queries seeking comment.

Friday’s rainfall may have also led to silt flowing back into drains, residents said.

Ashok Bhasin, who heads the North Delhi Residents Welfare Federation, said that most of the drains from Main Mall Road to Roshanara are dug up. “Desilting work is only taking place on paper. On ground, nothing has moved. The process is riddled with corruption. Moreover, the agencies do not carry the silt away which further flows back in the drains and sewage lines after rain,” he said.

Delhi’s drainage system is divided in three basins — Najafgarh, Trans-Yamuna, Barapullah basin — all of which empty out in the Yamuna via 22 drains. The Najafgarh basin is the largest covering 918 square kilometres, Barapullah basin covers 376 sq km and the trans-Yamuna basin, with outlets at Ghazipur drain and Shahdara drain, traverses 200 sq km. Delhi has 426.55km of natural drainage lines and 3,311.54 km of engineered drain network which is overseen by at least nine different agencies with the drains near residential colonies and markets falling under the MCD. MCD oversees drains in residential areas and markets which directly impact the residents. Larger drains are managed by PWD and Irrigation and Flood control department

Atul Goyal of URJA, a federation of RWAs, said that the desilting is being carried out selectively. “Only people with access or who persistently keep complaining get their drains cleared otherwise most of the work is taking place on papers. There is no third-party audit of the silt removed. Ideally, the local RWAs should be roped in to monitor and authenticate the works done in their areas. Local area committees need to be formed,” he said.