NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Chahal reviews waterlogging preparedness

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal on Sunday reviewed the civic agency’s preparedness to tackle waterlogging.

After the meeting attended by NDMC Secretary Tariq Thomas and officials of the Civil Engineering Department, Chahal inspected several key waterlogging-prone locations, including Purana Quila Road, Dayal Singh College and Bharti Nagar.

Reiterating the civic agency’s commitment to check waterlogging, Chahal emphasised that NDMC is swiftly adopting modern technologies and climate-resilient measures.

“The NDMC is planning actions like trenchless rehabilitation of old brick drains and feasibility studies for constructing artificial reservoirs in parks and ridge areas to capture monsoon runoff from roads and public spaces,” said Chahal.

He said that these efforts significantly contribute to making India’s cities more efficient, environment-friendly, and liveable by 2047.

During the inspection, he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a large sump (pit) with a 5 lakh-litre capacity behind the Judges’ Bungalows near Purana Quila Road.

He informed that this new sump is a vital part of NDMC’s comprehensive monsoon preparedness and urban water management strategy. Rainwater will be stored in the sump and further channelised into the drainage system, he said.

"Sumps are an essential component of flood management and waterlogging prevention, enabling quick collection and disposal of rainwater. This helps prevent urban flooding and minimises infrastructure damage,” he said.

An official said NDMC’s drainage network is divided into four zones based on connectivity with major MCD drains: Dr Sen Nursing Home Drain Zone: Pachkuiyan Road, parts of Nehru Nagar, R.K. Ashram Marg, and Connaught Place area; Drain No 14 Zone: Judges’ Bungalows, Tilak Marg, Purana Quila Road, Supreme Court, and India Gate areas; Kushak Drain Zone: Chanakyapuri and surrounding areas and Barapulla Drain Zone: About 60 per cent of NDMC’s area (approximately 1,918 hectares), which connects to Sunheri Nallah (a branch of Barapulla Drain).

--IANS

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