Two new drainage lines to address waterlogging in ITO area, say Delhi PWD officials

New Delhi: The Delhi government's PWD will lay two new drainage lines ahead of the monsoon to address waterlogging in the ITO area, officials said on Monday.

The drains will carry excess rainwater away from waterlogging-prone spots.

A 600-millimetre pipeline will be laid from the Indraprastha Gas station up to Chatt Ghat opposite the Delhi Secretariat to address waterlogging on the Ring Road stretch near IP Estate and the ITO red light under the Indraprastha flyover.

These areas have witnessed repeated waterlogging even after light rain during the past few years.

Another 450-millimetre pipeline will be laid from the Indraprastha police station, connecting to regulator drain No 12, to address waterlogging at the Tilak Bridge underpass, Supreme Court area and Mathura Road, the Pragati Maidan tunnel and the ITO area.

"We are laying two pipelines to address waterlogging in the area. The high-pressure pipelines will be around 600 metres in length," a senior public works department (PWD) official told PTI.

The PWD is also remodelling drain No 5 that runs from Azad Bhawan to IP Estate. This area, home to several government offices, has a separate pumping station with four permanent pumps. Drain No 5 has its outfall into the Yamuna under the Delhi Metro's Indraprastha station.

Due to lack of proper desilting of regulator drain No 12 causing backflow and blocking the passage for excess rainwater, there was waterlogging on multiple occasions in ITO and adjoining areas last year, the PWD officials said.

"Both works have to be completed in two months and we have floated tenders," the senior official said.

The IP Estate and the Ring Road areas were waterlogged after the May 2 rainfall, with the government saying they were cleared within a few hours using super suction machines.

As a step towards fixing accountability, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma has appointed assistant engineers and engineers as local in-charges for all 335 waterlogging points identified in the past few years. They are tasked with ensuring all necessary preparations are completed before the monsoon.