Now, locals hope for end to drainage woes

Residents of multiple southeast Delhi localities on Monday heaved a sigh of relief as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) started demolishing illegal houses located along the Taimoor Nagar drain, in the hope that the action would facilitate proper cleaning of the sewage channel and stop backflow into their homes during rains.

- Varun Bhandari

NEW DELHI: A contingent of at least eight excavator machines slashed and razed through illegal constructions at Taimoor Nagar in southeast Delhi from 9 a.m. on Monday, as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) began its demolition drive to clear unauthorized houses built along a critical drainage line, following orders from the Delhi high court.

Officials involved in the drive said they demolished around 100 structures under heavy police deployment and that the operation would be completed in two more days. The clearance will enable agencies to clean the drain and restore proper flow, they said.

The severely impaired sewage flow in the drain becomes an annual problem, which is exacerbated during monsoon, when it backflows into residential areas across south and southeast Delhi such as New Friends Colony, Friends Colony, Maharani Bagh, Kalindi Colony and Jangpura, among others.

A senior DDA official present at the site said the administration had issued multiple notices to residents, which were ignored. While the DDA spokesperson did not comment on the drive, a DDA official said action was taken as per court order.

There are two slum clusters along the drain, while the urban village occupies the opposite side. All underground drainage pipelines from nearby colonies discharge into what is meant to be a 20-foot-wide drain abutting Eastern Avenue Road. However, the drain narrows to barely 4-5 feet near the Taimoor Nagar slums due to encroachments and waste, creating a severe choke point that causes backflow into upstream colonies. The civic body then has to pump the water out manually.