‘Delhi will no longer suffer': Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma asks PWD to finish all desilting work by June 15

Indian Express

a day ago

As Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD) is working on a war footing to complete the desilting and ongoing repair work of drains ahead of the monsoon, Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma on Thursday directed the officials to complete the work by June 15.
PWD Minister Verma gave the deadline while inspecting five critical points in the Mehrauli area, infamous for repeated waterlogging.
He inspected the drains near Saket Gurdwara, Dargah Mehrauli, Moti Lal Nehru Camp, Kusumpur Pahadi, and Qutub Institute Area.
Verma also asked the department to deploy rapid response teams during heavy rain, monitor the drainage cleaning operations live through GPS, and send the daily coordination reports from different departments to the central control room.
'For years, previous governments and officials treated the monsoon as an 'aapda' (disaster), but we see it as an 'avsar' (opportunity) — an opportunity to prove that governance is about preparedness, swift response, and visible results. Delhi will no longer suffer because of negligence and incompetence,' said Singh.
He took note of clogged drains, missing slabs, and encroachments obstructing natural water flow and ordered the immediate deployment of extra machines and workforce in high-risk zones. He also instructed officers to submit daily progress reports by June 15, said officials.
'This is not just a drain-cleaning drive. This is our government's commitment — that Delhiites will no longer suffer due to inaction. While earlier governments made excuses, we will be on the ground — before, during, and after the rains — ensuring our systems perform and our citizens are protected,' said the minister.
Taking a dig at the previous AAP administration, the minister said that Delhi's drainage system had been ignored for over a decade, with no major sewer-line project initiated in the last 10 years. 'This lack of long-term planning has worsened the problem of urban flooding in several parts of Delhi. Our message is clear — no excuse will be tolerated. Every department must work in perfect coordination, and every drain must be desilted, cleared, and ready before the rains arrive. We owe this urgency to the people of Delhi,' he said.
An officer said that the inspection was aimed at assessing the status of desilting, identifying structural issues, and issuing firm directions for urgent corrective action.
The Delhi government has identified over 200 vulnerable drainage points across the city. 'A zero-tolerance policy for waterlogging is now in force, and weekly reviews are being conducted to track progress. The minister's ongoing field inspections are part of a larger campaign to make Delhi monsoon-ready in a time-bound and accountable manner,' the officer said.
Earlier, during a press conference, the minister said that 35 per cent of desilting has been completed by PWD in phase 1, and the complete desilting work will be done by mid-June.
According to officials, PWD manages about 2,100 km of stormwater drain stretch on both sides of 1,400 km of road stretch under its jurisdiction, out of which work of over 800 km has been completed.
The Irrigation Department has also been tasked with clearing all natural stormwater drains and ensuring that no encroachments block water outflow in vulnerable zones like Mehrauli.
According to a report, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of Delhi looks after 77 drains, including major ones like Najafgarh and Barapullah. About 40 per cent of the silts have been disposed of, said an officer.