Delhi govt to set up control room to monitor city's waterlogging situation after heavy rain

    New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) Setting up an emergency control room, quick response teams and dedicated phone numbers to register waterlogging complaints are among the steps announced by the Delhi government after the national capital received a record 228 mm rainfall that inundated several areas and brought the city to its knees.
    Delhiites woke up to a rain-soaked morning on Friday with water entering homes, submerging vehicles and leading to miles-long traffic snarls that took hours to detangle. Thousands of commuters were stranded, many not making it to office or crucial appointments set up days earlier.
    In view of the torrential rains, an emergency meeting was held at the Delhi Secretariat that was chaired by ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain with senior officials from key departments, including the PWD, MCD, NDMC and Delhi Jal Board in attendance.
    After the meeting, Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Atishi said the city received its first monsoon rain on Friday and according to India Meteorological Department data, 228 mm of rain was recorded in the national capital in the last 24 hours.
    "This is the first time since 1936 that Delhi has received so much rain in a day. Delhi receives 800 mm of rain during the entire monsoon. But in the last 24 hours, about 25 per cent of the entire monsoon rain has occurred. Due to such unexpected rain, there has been a problem of waterlogging at many places."
    With drains overflowing for several hours due to high water flow, it took several hours to get respite from waterlogging, she said.
    Key tunnels, including the one at Pragati Maidan, were closed and reports of homes being flooded came in from across the city, including upscale areas of Lutyens Delhi, Hauz Khas, South Extension and Mayur Vihar on the first day of heavy rain.
    Talking about power cuts, Atishi said electricity supply was suspended in some areas to prevent electrocution.
    Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said a 24-hour control room is being prepared in the PWD headquarters.
    "Three senior officers will be on duty here in eight-hour shifts. Officers will be present in the control room at all time so that waterlogging can be monitored round the clock," he said.
    Officials of departments concerned, such as the PWD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Irrigation and Flood Department will also be present in the control room to coordinate with their departments, Bharadwaj said.
    He said all departments have been instructed to check the pumps installed at various places by 10 pm and if there any fault is found that should be repaired.
    The MCD and PWD have installed mobile pumps in many areas and it will be ensured that these pumps run on time and their capacity will be reviewed, the minister said, adding that NDMC and the Cantonment Board have also been asked to review the pumps.
    Bharadwaj said all departments have been instructed to form quick response teams so that these can start addressing waterlogging complaints immediately.
    The traffic police, legislators and councilors have been asked to provide a list of possible waterlogging spots in their areas, he said, adding the chief secretary will review the list and give necessary instructions.
    The Delhi urban development minister said many areas have no drains to let rainwater go away. Because of this, rainwater flows through the sewer and this problem is not limited to unauthorized colonies, but also in posh areas, he said.
    In many areas, drains have been covered due to various reasons and water is drained through the sewers giving rise to the possibility of the sewer lines getting clogged, Bharadwaj said.
    The Delhi Jal Board has been instructed to get one recycler machine for each of the 11 zones so that large-scale clogging can be fixed, he said.
    "Apart from this, the DJB has been asked to arrange contract labour for sewer duty. In case of waterlogging, Delhiites can provide information by calling the PWD control room on 1800110093. Apart from this, information can also be provided by sending a message on WhatsApp number 8130188222," the minister said.
    Earlier in the day, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena took stock of the situation in Delhi and directed officials to set up an emergency control room and deploy static pumps to address waterlogging reports.    
    Chairing an emergency meeting, the LG said all senior officers on leave should be asked to report back to duty immediately and no leave should be sanctioned for the next two months, according to his office.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)