Delhi CM inspects drains ahead of monsoon

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday inspected major drains across the national capital and directed officials to ensure their desilting before the monsoon sets in to prevent waterlogging and sewage overflow.

Gupta was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma and senior officials as she visited key drainage sites, including the Sunheri, Barapulla and Kushak drains.

The Chief Minister criticised previous governments for failing to maintain Delhi’s drainage system, which she said led to severe flooding in several parts of the city during the rainy season.

“These drains were not taken seriously by the previous governments. When big drains like these are not cleaned, it is obvious that sewage will flow out,” Gupta remarked.

During her inspection, Gupta pointed out the lack of coordination among various agencies responsible for maintaining the city’s drainage system.

“There was no clarity between the agencies on who will clean and maintain the drains. We have now given the responsibility to the Flood and Irrigation Department. It will be the agency responsible for the timely desilting of drains. A plan and budget will be allocated for the work,” she announced.

Gupta further said that her government would implement a structured approach to infrastructure maintenance. “These drains should be cleaned before monsoon so that they can carry water during the rains. Nothing happens in a single day. From today itself, we have to start a summer action plan and a winter plan to tackle pollution,” she added.

The Chief Minister said every minister in her cabinet has been assigned a specific mission, while MLAs have been given responsibilities related to public works.

“All ministers have been given missions, and all our MLAs are delegated public works,” Gupta said, adding that the government is committed to resolving key civic issues that have plagued Delhi for years.

Waterlogging has been a recurring problem in the city, with major roads and underpasses getting inundated after heavy rains. Gupta assured residents that necessary measures would be taken to prevent a repeat of the past monsoon woes.