New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed officials to take steps to prevent waterlogging and caving in of roads and footpaths during monsoon, asserting that they are on the same page on anything aimed at the well-being of Delhiites.
In a high-level meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Saxena and Kejriwal directed the officials to build concrete cemented roads instead of bitumen ones at sites prone to waterlogging and flooding, according to a statement issued by the LG’s office.
“Underlining that the crux of the meeting was that the people of the city should not be inconvenienced, the LG and the CM conveyed it in no uncertain terms that they did not differ on anything aimed at the well-being of the people of Delhi,” the statement said.
Saxena and Kejriwal asked the officials to put in place comprehensive long-term measures to deal with the problem of waterlogging rather than dealing with the issue in a “crisis management mode” as has been done so far, it said.
Saxena also directed the officials to simultaneously start the exercise of creating sink holes with 6-8 inches diameter, lined with perforated pipes and covered suitably at sites prone to waterlogging to speed up surface runoff and help groundwater recharge.
Kejriwal seconded the idea and directed officials to comply with it, the statement said.
Saxena stressed the need for proactive preparedness on the part of the authorities after putting all systems in place and deploying quick response teams equipped with all instruments.
Kejriwal underlined the importance of enhancing and improving upon the work being done by various agencies in the capital.
During the meeting, it was also decided that the silt from drains be lifted immediately so that it does not wash down into the desilted drains.
The LG asked for silt removal to be photographed, its transportation to be videographed and updated on the websites of the concerned agencies, according to the statement.
It was also decided to undertake pressurised hosing for desilting drains.
To prevent the caving in of roads and pathways, the officials were directed to ensure that proper compaction is done after the completion of all civil work.
Saxena and Kejriwal agreed on the need for a comprehensive study of the city drains, gradient and catchment areas so that excess water can be transported to natural or artificial pits and lowlands.
They directed the officials to explore the possibility and come up with a time-bound plan for laying alternate pipelines for stormwater drainage.
The officials were also asked to finalise the Drainage Master Plan, which has been pending for years, with the help of experts and domain-specific agencies, according to the statement.
Saxena reiterated that the aim should be to ensure the least inconvenience to the people and all agencies involved should do so with seamless coordination and cooperation.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar besides top officials of Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and other agencies. PTI VIT DIV DIV
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.