Regulator drains closed, sandbags stuffed in drain openings as Yamuna level in Delhi rises

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) In a precautionary move to combat potential flooding, the authorities have closed all 13 regulator drains connected to the Yamuna river, officials said on Wednesday.

To prevent backflow of river water into the city's low-lying areas along the riverbank, bell mouths of stormwater drains from Vasudev Ghat up to the Yamuna bank have been stuffed with sandbags.

"All the regulator drains have been closed in the city to avoid any backflow of water from the river, as they have outfall into the Yamuna. The water level in the river itself is high and reaching a critical point," a government official looking over the operations told PTI.

The city has 13 regulators falling in the Yamuna and they include Magzine Road Drain, Old Chandrawal drain, Khyber Pass drain, Metcaff house drain, Qudsia ghat drain, Vijay Ghat drain, Tonga stand drain, Civil Military drain, Delhi Gate drain, Sen Nursing Home drain, Drain No 12 A, Drain No 14 and Regulator number 2800.

Areas such as ITO, along with Kashmere Gate, Rajghat, Vasudev Ghat, Qudsia Ghat, Yamuna Bank and some spots on the inner Ring Road, have been identified as vulnerable spots by the Public Works Department (PWD) and other agencies, as they are prone to flooding due to proximity to the river.

"As a temporary measure, the bell mouths are being stuffed with sandbags so that water from the river does not enter the roads through the drains, like it did two years back, but if the level rises, there will be a problem. We have also pressed into action 32 boats, 89 mobile pumps and 18 permanent water pumping stations," a PWD official said.

However, due to light to moderate rainfall during the day, the authorities faced difficulties in the dewatering exercise as the regulator drains were closed.

"The regulator drains are operated like an exit for the rainwater collecting in the city for outfall into the river. Now that these exits have been closed, it is taking longer for us to remove excess rainwater from the hotspots," the officials added.

In 2023, during the unprecedented rise in the Yamuna's water level, several areas along the Yamuna river experienced heavy flooding for days as the river level was at its highest. PTI SSM SSM KSS KSS