Yadav slams govt for failing to carry out desilting work ahead of monsoon

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav on Sunday slammed the BJP-led Delhi Government for making “hollow promises” and failing to carry out desilting and road repairs ahead of the monsoon.

He warned that the Capital is staring at another season of urban flooding unless immediate ground-level action is taken. Referring to PWD Minister Parvesh Verma’s recent remarks that the city’s pre-monsoon flooding was a “wake-up call” and that desilting would be completed by May 30, Yadav said the minister was setting “improbable targets” without initiating real work.

“Other than giving instructions to officials, no desilting has actually begun on the ground,” he said.

Highlighting the flooding of key areas, including the heavily congested ITO, during the recent downpour, Yadav said Verma appeared more concerned with posh localities like Golf Links rather than addressing the widespread impact on ordinary Delhiites. “The common people continue to suffer while the BJP government looks the other way,” he said.

He also alleged that the previous AAP government had misused funds meant for stormwater and sewer maintenance, leading to flooding and fatal incidents during last year’s monsoon.

“Over 40 lives were lost because of AAP’s corruption. Now the BJP government seems to be following the same playbook,” Yadav said.

Reacting to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s announcement of a 21-day cleanliness campaign and the PWD minister’s 21-day desilting deadline, Yadav said: “These are empty promises. People know that the deadlines will not be met, and the city will again be flooded when the rains return.”

Drawing comparisons with Congress-era governance, Yadav claimed that under the previous Congress rule, desilting was always completed by mid-May, ahead of the monsoon. “The Congress believed in timely work, not rhetoric,” he said, urging the BJP government to prioritise desilting, fix damaged roads and address civic issues with seriousness.