Waterlogging-prone sites in Delhi down by 80%

Delhi has reduced the number of waterlogging-prone locations to just 34 this monsoon, down from 194 in 2024, prompting Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Monday to acknowledge the improvement while directing all departments to ensure there is “minimum or no flooding at all” during the remainder of the monsoon season. He also warned that officials would be held accountable for any lapses in flood management.

The directions were issued during a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), jointly chaired by the L-G and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, to review the Capital’s preparedness for heavy rainfall, implementation of the Urban Flood Mitigation Plan and progress in establishing the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

Ministers Parvesh Verma and Ashish Sood, along with senior officials from the Delhi Government, police, MCD, PWD, Delhi Jal Board, DDA and other departments, attended the meeting.

According to officials, the number of identified waterlogging-prone sites has declined steadily over the past three years - from 194 in 2024 to 169 in 2025, and further to 34 in 2026 so far. The number of locations witnessing repeated waterlogging has also fallen significantly, from 53 between 2024 and 2025 to just eight between 2025 and 2026.

While appreciating the progress, the L-G said weather forecasts indicating sudden spells of intense rainfall meant the administration could not afford complacency.

“All steps must be undertaken to ensure that there is minimum or no flooding at all," the L-G said. He noted that though flooding was largely a legacy issue in Delhi, departments must continue implementing every possible short-term measure while long-term infrastructure projects, including the Drainage Master Plan, are being executed.

“Accountability in this regard was of extreme importance, and responsibility of failures thereof will be fixed,” the L-G said.

The meeting also reviewed desilting work across the Capital. Officials informed the DDMA that the MCD, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, NDMC and the DDA have completed their targets.

The PWD has achieved nearly 95 percent desilting, but is facing delays at some locations due to encroachments over drains. The Delhi Jal Board has completed 85.5 per cent desilting of trunk sewer lines, 91.1 per cent of peripheral sewer lines and 90.16 per cent of branch sewer lines.

The CM expressed satisfaction over the progress but directed departments to ensure that the removed silt is disposed of simultaneously. She also instructed officials to make sure that no drain, sewer line or manhole was left uncovered and that potholes and ditches are repaired immediately.

The Chief Minister also raised concerns over dangerous trees that often collapse during storms and directed officials to identify and remove such trees proactively to prevent loss of life.

During the meeting, the L-G instructed officials to operationalise the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at the earliest and increase its strength.

The L-G and the Chief Minister also directed departments to resolve flooding-related issues without jurisdictional disputes between agencies such as the MCD, NDMC and the PWD.