New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) The Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) has completed desilting works along 1,900-km of drainage lines under its management, with nearly 90 per cent of the sewerage network cleared of silt ahead of the monsoon, PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Wednesday.
On the day, Singh conducted an inspection of desilting works in Moti Nagar area, asserting that the on-ground reviews and record desilting figures demonstrate the government’s commitment to reducing waterlogging, improving drainage efficiency and ensuring uninterrupted movement of citizens during monsoon.
According to the latest PWD progress report, desilting has been completed on 1,900.15 km of drains out of a total network of 2,125.87 km, achieving 89.38 per cent completion.
As per the report, around 2.85 lakh metric tonnes of silt has been removed from 21 major drains, while 12 lakh metric tonnes of sludge was removed from the Najafgarh drain.
“The desilting drive is aimed at ensuring smooth flow of storm water, preventing choking of drains and minimising water accumulation on major roads during heavy rainfall,” the PWD minister said.
Separately, the Delhi government’s irrigation and flood control department has cleared around 30 lakh metric tonnes of silt till date, he added.
“Last year, the department removed approximately 19 lakh metric tonnes of silt. This year, that figure has increased to 30.91 lakh metric tonnes,” Singh said.
Speaking during the inspection, the PWD minister said while maintenance contracts are in place, the true measure of performance can only be assessed through regular field inspections.
“We have running maintenance contracts, but the reality of the work can only be checked on the ground. That is why officers have been deployed across constituencies. In the next 10 to 15 days, all 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi will be inspected,” he said.
The PWD minister emphasised that accountability would remain central to the government’s monsoon preparedness strategy. PTI SSM ARB ARB
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