‘Alarming’: CM visits rain-hit areas, assesses damage
New Delhi: Following intense early morning rainfall that left large parts of Delhi submerged, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta personally inspected flood-hit areas on Friday, calling the situation “alarming” and urging a complete overhaul of the capital’s drainage and infrastructure systems.
Gupta began her ground visit at Majnu Ka Tilla, one of the worst-affected areas, where she was seen directing officials from the PWD and municipal departments to take urgent corrective steps. Speaking to reporters, she said, “There is waterlogging in several areas. Some areas don’t even have drains. Some areas have drains that are clogged. Delhi is in a very bad condition.”
Her visit comes after Delhi recorded 77 mm of rainfall at the Safdarjung weather station, 78 mm at Lodhi Road, and similar showers across multiple regions, leading to uprooted trees, damaged power lines, heavy traffic jams, and delayed flights. A house collapse in Najafgarh claimed the lives of a woman and her three children. Calling the rainfall an “alarm for the whole system,” Gupta said the city’s current drainage failures were not a one-day issue. “This is not a one-day problem but an issue of backlog of development, system breakdowns and apathy of administration in Delhi in the past 10-15 years,” she said.
Taking a direct dig at former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Gupta added, “These matters would not reach Kejriwal’s ears as he used to enjoy sound-proof sleep in his Sheesh Mahal, oblivious of thunderstorms, broken trees and waterlogging.”
Highlighting her government’s hands-on approach, she said, “Today, the Chief Minister of Delhi herself is passing through roads in which thousands of Delhiites are stuck in traffic jams, and the government is fully prepared to fix these problems. Officials are working on the roads.”
She instructed civic bodies and departments to immediately identify and desilt all clogged drains and pothole-ridden roads ahead of the monsoon. “Clear instructions have been given to all officers to identify waterlogging-affected areas across Delhi and ensure a solution,” she told reporters.
PWD minister Parvesh Verma also visited the Minto Bridge area, known for severe flooding, to assess the situation. “All four pumps were working. A burst pipe was found
and will be repaired,” Verma said, adding that the cleaning of drains was ongoing in coordination with PWD, MCD, DJB, NDMC, and IFC.
Gupta’s inspection marks a visible shift toward proactive governance. “I want to thank god for this untimely rain today which is an alarm for the whole system,” she said, reinforcing that her government would not allow the city to suffer from inherited negligence.
