‘Temporary accumulation’: Delhi PWD Minister says steps being taken to clear rainwater

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Vehicles passing through water logging during heavy spell of monsoon rain in New Delhi on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

Heavy rain continued to lash the national capital for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, leaving several roads waterlogged and commuters wading through knee- and waist-deep water, even as Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh acknowledged “temporary water accumulation” at several vulnerable locations.

Maintaining that pre-monsoon measures had reduced identified waterlogging points from 194 to 65 and recurring hotspots from 53 to 20, he said: “The recent intense rainfall has resulted in temporary water accumulation at some vulnerable locations, including stretches under the jurisdiction of different agencies. Such instances are being addressed on priority through pumping, drain cleaning and field-level interventions.”

The Minister said the PWD had undertaken additional desilting and capacity-restoration work at vulnerable stretches, including locations that had not been desilted for several years “owing to inter-agency and access-related issues”.

“Temporary pumping arrangements, along with field teams, are being deployed at vulnerable locations to clear accumulated water on priority,” he added.

Waterlogging was reported in several parts of the city on Tuesday, with visuals showing commuters, riders and four-wheelers navigating flooded roads in Kamla Nagar, Azad Market, Ashoka Road, Sangam Vihar, Ansari Nagar near AIIMS, Mandi House, Connaught Place and Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Students were also seen wading through waist-deep water in some areas, including Mahipalpur. At Safdarjung Hospital, two people were seen manoeuvring a patient on a stretcher through a waterlogged stretch.

The PWD has identified Minto Bridge, Zakhira underpass, Pul Prahladpur, Azadpur underpass, ITO, Loni Golchakkar, NH-24 Patparganj, Dasmesh Road and Jahangirpuri among the vulnerable locations where pumping arrangements have been deployed, according to data shared by the department with The Hindu. Other identified locations include the Pandav Nagar underpasses on NH-24, Nausena Bhawan, Thal Sena Bhawan, Mahipalpur T-Point and the R&R Hospital underpass.

At Minto Bridge, 15 permanent pumps and six personnel have been deployed, while the Zakhira underpass has three power take-off (PTO) pumps, 15 permanent pumps and 10 personnel. Pul Prahladpur has 15 permanent pumps and six personnel, while 12 permanent pumps have been deployed at the Azadpur underpass.

At ITO, six PTO pumps, 14 permanent pumps and 15 personnel have been deployed. Loni Golchakkar has five permanent pumps and six personnel, while NH-24 Patparganj has six PTO pumps and six personnel. Dasmesh Road has one PTO pump and three personnel, while Jahangirpuri has one PTO pump, six permanent pumps and six personnel, the PWD said in a statement.

Commuters reported long delays on major roads as the rain disrupted traffic movement.