The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Wednesday apologised for a delay in clearing the waterlogging caused by heavy rain in the city the previous day.
NDMC chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi explained the situation in a series of posts on X. “We will work to ensure that our citizens should not face any inconvenience in future. Any suggestions for improvement are welcome,” he wrote.
He said that the waterlogging clearing process, which usually took around 15-20 minutes, took longer at three to four locations. “Usually we can clear the waterlogging within 15-20 minutes. But despite our best efforts in at least 3-4 areas water was fully drained out in more than an hour,” he said.
“More than 72 mm of rainfall was recorded in less than two hours,” Dwivedi said in a post on X, describing the intensity of the spell as “unexpected”. he also said that heavy rain “cannot be an excuse” for the delay While Dwivedi acknowledged that draining out water took longer than usual in some parts. The NDMC chairman also said that several short term and long term measures were in the works to deal with the waterlogging problem better, and also invited suggestions from residents.
Waterlogging was reported on Ashoka Road, Raisina Road, Parliament Street, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, around Connaught Place and RML Hospital, and areas near the Supreme Court and AIIMS, among others. Water accumulation was seen in several parts of Delhi as the week began with an intense rain spell. “We are working on long-term solutions.
Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma also said that long-term measures are being taken at 21 spots, while short-term interventions are being made at several other points.
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said that drainage, sewerage and waterlogging remained among the key issues the government is working on. We are laying new sewer lines and approving projects worth crores of rupees to find long-term solutions to the issue,” Gupta said.
