Desilting of S Delhi drains may not end by monsoon: MCD

IN ITS AFFIDAVIT, MCD SAID NDMC CHAIRMAN HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO RELEASE THE FUNDS TO DMRC TO ENABLE THE LATTER TO TAKE UP WORK

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

NEW DELHI: South Delhi may be set for a repeat of waterlogging this monsoon, as three key drains — the Kushak drain and supplementary Sunehripul and Defence Colony drains — are yet to be desilted.

The process may not be completed by the arrival of monsoon, typically the last week of June, according to an affidavit submitted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) earlier this week.

In its affidavit dated May 5, the MCD said efforts were being made to desilt the covered portion of all three drains, with progress varied for each drain.

It said work on the 1.4-kilometre-long Sunehripul drain — which flows along Defence Colony and underneath Lala Lajpat Rai Marg before joining Barapullah drain — will be executed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), as decided by the lieutenant governor (LG) in a recent meeting, but desilting work was yet to begin.