A spell of much awaited monsoon showers which is generally welcome otherwise, has brought the national capital to its knees, due to severe water logging resulting in long traffic jams leaving millions of commuters fuming and fretting.

“Road network in Delhi encompasses different zones of Authority like Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, New Delhi Municipal Corporation and Delhi Development Authority, apart from the Delhi Jal Board, which is responsible for the drainage of storm water and sewage. Each year after the monsoons these agencies tend to pass the buck to another agency and thereby virtually disowning their own responsibility, as a result there is acute water logging, deep pot holes, portions of the roads getting sub-merged and side-walks becoming unusable, causing immense hardship to the general public.” Said Mr K K Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation (IRF).

Mr K K Kapila Chairman , IRF

“Apart from the suggestion for creating an Unified Body consisting of DDA, PWD, DJB, all Three MCD’s, NDMC ,DMRC and Power Discoms to tackle the drainage problems of Delhi, with representatives from each of the Agencies for initiating appropriate long as well as short term measures, there is an urgent need to find immediate solutions to contain the damage due to flooding of our roads.” Said Mr Kapila.

“With continued urbanisation the drains are either choked or ineffective to carry the surface water to the deep storm water drains, which also lack adequate capacity. For this, a long term solution with proper network of drainage lines with adequate capacity for storm water and sewage drains is an immediate necessity.” He added.

However, till such time the long term measures are completed, immediate short term measures must be undertaken at the locations where our roads have been flooded. It is in these reaches one has to plan appropriate water harvesting systems to be incorporated, so that excessive water is immediately sucked into the harvesting pipes thereby relieving the road stretch from flooding. These locations are easily identifiable and can be the source of water harvesting during each monsoon. This will eventually make all our roads remaining usable during monsoon and thus alleviate the problems of the general public.

“Delhi Metro Rail despite having Rain Water Harvesting system on various routes also needs a separate drainage system to channelise rainwater released from the Metro’s elevated tracks can save roads from being damaged and also help in water harvesting.” Added Mr Kapila

“Delhi Metro’s elevated tracks are also partially adding to the city’s drainage problems, as rainwater from the elevated structures flows with force on roads, creating more problems for choked city drains and causing hazards to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Proper disposal of this water would reduce waterlogging on several stretches in the city,” said Kapila.

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