The Delhi government is planning 12 gates near Yamuna and big drains to prevent flooding on roads during the time of monsoon in the capital city. The Public Works Department (PWD) is doing this to prevent backwater flow from the Irrigation and Flood Control (IFFC) drains to PWD drains and ultimately towards the roads.

In 2023, the Ring Road stretch from Vikas Marg from Indra Inter-State Bridge till the IO intersection, which stretches towards the Kashmiri Gate, was flooded even after the rain stopped. The flooding happened after a regulator that was installed at drain number 12 near IP Metro Station broke. This led to the water from Yamuna coming to the main roads during the 2023 monsoon.

“To avoid such flooding, the department is planning to construct gates at major drains at Kalindi Kunj, Okhla Barrage, so there is no backwater from Yamuna… Tenders have been floated for the project,” said a senior PWD official.

Inspection at Drains

PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh took stock of the on-ground situation and inspected the IFFC control at Shastri Nagar on Tuesday. The minister was conducting a review of preparations made by the PWD ahead of this year’s monsoon in the capital city. During the inspection, the minister said that the government is working with complete seriousness and coordination to free Delhi from the recurring menace of waterlogging.

“The IFFC control room continuously monitors all 77 major drains across Delhi and the water levels of the Yamuna river 24/7. It tracks the flow of rainwater, the quantity of water being released upstream, and assesses the downstream impact. As water levels rise, decisions regarding issuing warnings and evacuating vulnerable areas are made right from here,” said Singh.

According to officials concerned, 90% of the 76 major trains of Delhi have already been cleaned and the remaining work is in the final stage. The department is using modern machinery, GPS tracking and ground reporting mechanisms to ensure that no blockage occurs and the risk of waterlogging is eliminated.