Delhi L-G orders immediate cleaning of heavily clogged INA drain

New Delhi: The 6.5-kilometer-long INA drain heavily clogged with over 50,000 tonnes of waste, including garbage and construction debris, has prompted a major cleanup operation following an inspection by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, officials of the Raj Niwas said on Wednesday.

Following Lieutenant Governor Saxena’s visit on Tuesday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) launched a desilting operation using heavy machinery at three different locations along the drain, the officials said.

The INA drain, located in the INA Market area opposite Dilli Haat, has not been cleaned or desilted for several years.

The MCD officials reported that the drain contained over 50,000 tonnes of waste, including a mix of garbage and construction debris.

Over a thousand tonnes of debris were removed on the first day of the operation, which will continue until the drain is fully cleared, the officials said.

The 6.5-kilometer-long INA drain, which feeds into the Kushak Drain and eventually empties into the Yamuna River, suffers from severe clogging due to garbage overflowing sewage and monsoon rainwater, they added. The drain’s poor condition has led to severe waterlogging, backflow and overflow in the neighbouring areas, including INA Market, Sewa Nagar, Sadiq Nagar, Ansari Nagar, South Ex I and AIIMS crossing on the Ring Road.