Elevated road and metro corridors, primarily designed to alleviate traffic congestion in Delhi, are negatively affecting the city's essential drainage network. A recently released Draft Drainage Master Plan has emphasised that the impact on the drainage system must be a critical factor in the planning of all future infrastructure projects, such as elevated corridors.
Master Plan Highlights Widespread Impact
The draft plan specifically points to the Western Peripheral Expressway, a 135-kilometre-long elevated corridor in Haryana built to divert traffic from the capital. According to the report, this project has significantly altered the regional water flow and disrupted the natural flow pattern within the Najafgarh basin, which in turn is directly impacting Delhi's drainage.
A Recurring Issue With Future Implications
This is not a new concern. Similar issues were raised during the construction of the first and second phases of the Barapullah elevated corridor, where building the structure over the drain was flagged as a potential problem for the drainage system.
The warning from the master plan is especially timely, as the government announced a new 55-kilometre-long elevated Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg) earlier this year. The Public Works Department (PWD) has been tasked with preparing a detailed project plan for this ambitious anti-congestion initiative.
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Expert Calls For Careful Planning
Providing a nuanced perspective, S Velmurugan, Chief Scientist at the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), clarified that while the Western Peripheral Expressway is located in Haryana and may not directly affect Delhi's stormwater drainage system, the underlying principle of the master plan is correct.
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He emphasised that for projects within the city, like the proposed elevated Ring Road, it is crucial that all parameters of the drainage network beneath the flyovers be thoroughly considered during the construction phase to avoid future complications.