PWD yet to desilt its drains, says North Delhi Mayor

NEW DELHI: In a fresh round of tussle between the Bjp-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) and the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, the civic body has said that the city may witness water logging situation this monsoon as the latter is not prepared.

North MCD Mayor Preety Aggarwal, after inspecting the city drains, claimed that drains of the Public Works Department (PWD) are yet to be desilted.

“City may face water logging due to the Delhi government’s ill-preparedness as the drains which belong to PWD are choked, which work as outfall for smaller drains of North MCD. Drains falling under the Corporations are almost desilted well before the onset of monsoon,” Aggarwal said.

Aggarwal said that during inspection, it was found that the PWD drain adjacent to Ring Road near Lawrence Road is not desilted, while the North MCD is making all out efforts to minimise the water logging during monsoon season.

While inspecting the Wazirpur Industrial Area drains, she directed officials to connect the internal drain to the PWD drain for proper outfall of storm water.

She also directed officials to write a letter to the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development (DSIIDC) to remove malba (debris) from the area, which was lying near the drains and hindering the desilting work.

After inspecting the PWD drain from Azadpur Metro Station to Chhatrasal Stadium, parallel to the Ring Road, she directed officials of engineering department to write a letter to PWD department regarding the condition of the drains in their jurisdiction.

“The drains which belong to PWD have not been desilted and should be taken up with them,” added the Mayor.

It was also reported that while inspecting of PWD drains at G-block and Eeblock in Jahangirpuri, it was found that the drains were heavily choked with floating materials and was not desilted.

She said that it is pertinent to mention here that the outfall of MCD drains is in PWD drains. If those are not desilted, water would be logged in colonies.

The Mayor also directed officials to remove the encroachment from the main road in a joint operation with other agencies to ease the traffic movement.

Preety Aggarwal said that the city may witness water logging situation this monsoon as the Public Works Department is not prepared