- By Yashashvi Tak
- Mon, 05 May 2025 11:59 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
MCD’s status report on drain desilting, only 21.3 per cent of the work had been completed by April 25. With the original deadline set for May 31, the current pace of progress appears inadequate. The targeted 1.3 lakh metric tonnes of silt to be removed and transported to designated sites, only 27,000 metric tonnes have been cleared from drains deeper than four feet, the report said.
The civic body has not commented on the matter, even as several RWAs have reported that no desilting has been carried out in their areas. They emphasized that to meet the target, the pace of work must be significantly accelerated. Desilting is carried out in two phases, with Phase I taking place before the monsoon, from January 1 to May 31. During this phase, 60% of the cleaning is typically completed to reduce the risk of waterlogging during the rainy season.
The deadline for Phase I is often extended to June 15. Phase II of the desilting work is carried out after the monsoon to ensure the uninterrupted flow of drains.
The civic body is operating across all 12 zones in the capital, having deployed machinery and equipment for the task. MCD oversees 800 drains deeper than 4 feet, covering a total area of 530 km. Currently, work is ongoing at 253 locations, but none of the drains have been fully completed yet.
"In phase I, the civic body targeted to lift 1,29,392.8 metric tonnes of silt, and of this, 27,589 MT of silt was removed by April 25, which amounts to 21.3 per cent," as per theTOI report.
In Phase II this year, the silt removal target has been set at 84,466.6 MT, bringing the total target for MCD's silt removal in 2025-26 to 2,13,859.5 MT. Additionally, work is ongoing at drains in residential colonies across the capital, as well as those less than 4 feet deep.
"These drains are cleared throughout the year. There are 12,892 such drains spread over an area of 6,069.8km, with a target to remove 40,086 MT of silt. Of this, 9,474.8 MT has been achieved by the end of April, which accounts for 24 per cent of the work," said the report.
According to the report, 100 per cent of the work has been completed in the Sadar Paharganj zone, followed by 57 per cent in Najafgarh zone and 44.8 per cent in Keshavpuram. However, residents pointed out that the Friday morning downpour, accompanied by gusty winds, highlighted the lack of preparedness by both the Delhi government and municipal authorities.
"Widespread waterlogging affected the city, particularly at known trouble spots. The internal lanes of New Friends Colony, Janakpuri and Azadpur were also flooded. I think authorities need to fix the problem and complete their task in coordination rather than later blaming each other for waterlogging," said A N Gupta, a resident of Janakpuri.
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Affected Areas In Delhi For Waterlogging
MCD reported 16 complaints of waterlogging from areas including Vasant Vihar, Defence Colony on Friday, Pul Bangash, Fatehpur Beri, Shastri Bagh, and Rana Pratap Bagh.
"Complaints were received through email, call centre and hotline numbers. These were immediately conveyed to the staff and resolved," said the official.