Capital strengthens Yamuna Banks between ITO, Sarai Kale Khan to improve flood mgmt

NEW DELHI: To reduce flood risk in the city, the Delhi government has begun strengthening the Yamuna riverbank by ‘stone pitching’ and upgrading drainage infrastructure between ITO and Sarai Kale Khan here.

The work includes reinforcing vulnerable stretches of the embankment and improving access roads along key drains and the Millennium Bund, to ensure that flood management can be carried out more effectively during heavy rainfall, officials said on Monday.

Approach roads along Drain No. 12 are being strengthened to ensure the smooth routine cleaning and emergency response during the monsoon.

Another major component of the project is also active at the ‘Millennium Bund,’ located on the right bank of the Yamuna River near Sarai Kale Khan area in South Delhi. This embankment acts as a protective barrier against the river.

The initiative is being undertaken by the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FC), which is responsible for flood management and riverbank protection in the city. “This is a crucial step in strengthening the embankment and ensuring the safety of the riverbank while protecting the area from future erosion,” a senior government official said.

According to officials, work is underway on the Millennium Bund to prevent soil erosion through the stone pitching process.

“The government hopes that strengthening embankments along the Yamuna and improving the drainage network will help mitigate flood risks and enhance the city’s preparedness for extreme weather events,” Flood control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said.

The measures will likely improve the drainage network and reduce the risk of flooding and waterlogging in surrounding areas during the monsoon season, he added.

Stone pitching is a method in which stones are placed on the slope to prevent soil erosion. The initiative is being undertaken by the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FC), which is responsible for flood management and riverbank protection in the city. Officials said the department has been working continuously to improve the effectiveness of flood-control infrastructure, particularly in areas prone to waterlogging during heavy rainfall. These drains had been causing waterlogging in their catchment areas for years, he said, adding that large-scale desilting, widening, deepening and removal of bottlenecks and encroachments had been carried out.