Is Minto Road Getting Submerged in Water Because of BJP Headquarters?

Dainik Bhaskar’s Tuesday, July 17, Delhi issue has revealed the reasons behind the waterlogging on Minto Road. On Monday, as this year’s second spell of monsoon rains wreaked havoc in Delhi, Minto Road, which connects Connaught Place and Old Delhi, got severely water-logged, due to which, cars and buses almost submerged under 10 feet of water at the railway underpass on Minto Road. This is the second time in four days that the city has faced severe water-logging due to heavy rains.

Upon investigating, the newspaper found out that the construction of BJP’s Headquarter Office on Deendayal Marg, last year, is the reason behind the waterlogging on Minto Road. When the newspaper’s correspondent enquired about this, the Central Public Works Department said that after the construction of the BJP Headquarters, the Delhi Jal Board had, due to security reasons, blocked the big Colonial-era drain that was used for drainage. Instead, the water has been diverted to a small drain which is not capable of handling this much water pressure. This is precisely why Minto Road gets flooded after heavy rainfall. After the office was built, even the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) of Railway Colony, Minto Road, had written a letter to the PMO complaining about the problem of waterlogging.

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Before the Headquarter Office was built, a 2400 mm wide drain was used for the purpose of water drainage. This drain used to pass through the section of Deendayal Marg in front of which the BJP office is now situated. After the construction of the Headquarter Office was completed, this drain was closed down and the drainage of water was diverted towards a 650 mm wide drain situated near the Kaali Mandir. Since the width of this drain is around one-fourth the width of the British-made drain, it is not able to withstand the water during heavy rainfall, leading to waterlogging.

As reported by the newspaper, PWD officials situated in the area told them that 14 pumps had been installed there for clearing excess water, 8 of which were now submerged in water due to the downpour on 13 July. While four pumps are still in a functioning state, only two are currently working because no water is coming out of the small drain. The waterlogging problem can only be solved when this drain is connected to a bigger drain situated under the road that connects Minto Road with ITO.

Meanwhile, Delhi High Court has sought a report from the Delhi Government and the Municipal Bodies within 10 days, detailing the steps taken by them to solve the waterlogging problem. The High Court has given this order while expressing self-awareness regarding the problem of waterlogging. The Court also asked both, the Union as well as the Delhi Governments, about the steps they have taken, if any, to solve this recurring problem of waterlogging during monsoon every year; and if the government has indeed done something to solve the problem, why are its effects not visible on the ground. The next court hearing regarding this issue will take place on July 26.

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PWD Engineer-in-Chief, R K Aggarwal told the newspaper that the Jal Board should make an alternative arrangement now that the big drain passing through DDU Marg has been blocked for the security of the BJP headquarters office building.

According to the Vice-President of Delhi Jal Board, Dinesh Mohaniya, drainage and clearance of rainwater is not the responsibility of the Jal Board. The big drain was made during the period of British rule and flows from DDU Marg to the Yamuna. PWD used to clear the monsoon rainwater using this drain until it was closed down after the construction of the BJP Headquarters.

However, the MCD staff told Dainik Bhaskar that this problem has arisen because the Delhi Jal Board has blocked this drain and unless the big drain is opened again, the water-logging problem cannot be resolved.