Delhi won't be standstill this monsoon: Minister Sirsa as Delhi govt gears up for rainy season

New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) The Delhi government has set its focus on cleaning and desilting the city's stormwater drains as part of its intensive drive to mitigate monsoon hardship caused by flooding and be prepared for any exigencies.

Since the monsoon is expected to cover Delhi by Tuesday, Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa reviewed the desilting work in the Wazirpur Industrial Area and directed officials to ensure the area is not flooded by rains.

Sirsa, who was accompanied by local MLA Poonam Sharma and senior officials of the Industries Department and DSIIDC, said drains in the area were being carried out on a war footing and expressed satisfaction over the quality and pace of the work.

"Delhi will not come to a standstill this monsoon. We have mobilised the entire governance machinery -- from local representatives to officers -- to ensure every drain is cleaned and every street remains functional," he said.

The minister also issued strictly instructed officials to avoid manual drain cleaning and stressed that mechanised systems such as super sucker machines improve efficiency and safety.

Open drains were being covered and potholes filled to minimise public inconvenience during rains, Sirsa pointed out and appreciated the efforts of the local MLA to this end.

"The results we are seeing on the ground are due to continuous follow-ups and coordinated fieldwork by our elected representatives and officials," the minister added.

The Delhi government has also reinstated the concessionaire model for the redevelopment of industrial areas under the public-private partnership framework for the long-term improvement of infrastructure.

Sirsa said this decision was in response to long-pending demands of industrialists and follows successful implementation in the Narela and Bawana areas.

"Redevelopment and monsoon preparedness go hand in hand. Our aim is not just to prevent waterlogging but also to make industrial zones future-ready with upgraded civic and drainage infrastructure," he added. PTI SHB NSD NSD