PWD, flood control dept to carry out joint inspection of Delhi drains

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) Additional Chief Secretary Navin Kumar Choudhary has directed senior PWD and flood control department officials to jointly inspect drains in Delhi as part of monsoon preparedness.

The Delhi government had earlier announced that officials would be held responsible if waterlogging occurred in areas identified by the authorities.

The monsoon season in Delhi usually sets in by June end. The public works department (PWD) has set a target to complete drain desilting by May end.

"All executive engineers working in field divisions (are) to jointly inspect all drains of PWD falling in their jurisdiction against the correspondence jurisdictions of executive engineers working for the irrigation and flood control department. Apparently, this exercise has not commenced yet," according to a PWD order issued on May 21.

Choudhary, recently handed over charge of the PWD, also heads the irrigation and flood control department.

"It is directed that all the executive engineers should conduct a joint inspection with the irrigation and flood control department as mentioned above immediately and submit the report in the enclosed pro forma within a week's time," according to the order.

The Delhi PWD manages around 2,026 kilometers of drains running along roads, which merge with big drains under the jurisdiction of the irrigation and flood control department that have their outfall in the Yamuna.

According to the PWD, 308 waterlogging points were identified in Delhi in 2023. This year, based on data shared by traffic police, 445 waterlogging points have been identified. Of these, 335 points fall under its jurisdiction.

The Delhi government has been directing officials of all departments concerned to coordinate with each other to avoid any waterlogging situation in the national capital. PTI SSM SSM SZM SZM