Repair of the sinkhole at Iffco Chowk on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway could not begin on Wednesday due to heavy sewer flow and is likely to start Thursday morning after the affected area is dewatered, GMDA officials said.
“Three tractor-mounted pumps and two stationary pumps have been deployed on the spot, and these are working continuously to dewater the spot. The GMDA has decided to upgrade the pipeline from Iffco Chowk to Sikanderpur using MWSL (Machine Wound Spiral Lining) technology to address repeated cave-ins. “First we will carry out temporary repairs of the sinkhole to facilitate the movement of traffic. Thereafter, the sewer pipeline from Iffco Chowk to Sikanderpur will be repaired using MWSL technology. It is a trenchless technology used to rehabilitate existing pipelines, particularly storm water drains and sewer lines, by creating a new, structurally sound pipe within the old one.
However, due to the very high flow of water, it was decided on Wednesday that the sewer line will be diverted so that the sinkhole can be repaired.
This will be completed in the night, and we expect to start the repair from Thursday morning,” a senior GMDA official said, requesting anonymity. “This drain had earlier collapsed near the L-shaped underpass on MG Road, and it is quite old and in bad shape,” the official said. It is also cost effective,” the official said, adding that a tender would be floated within a month.
After a detailed inspection on Tuesday night, GMDA officials found that the sewer drain coming from MG Road towards Iffco Chowk had collapsed and damaged the road.
