Delhi waterlogging woes: Can redirect traffic, not address waterlogging, say police

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Each year, police draw up a list of the areas most prone to waterlogging. This year they drew up a list of 162 such roads and stretches under agencies such as the PWD, MCDs and the NDMC. The list was submitted to government agencies in May.

“Because traffic police personnel are deployed across the capital, they are familiar with bad patches of roads and flyovers or residential pockets prone to severe waterlogging. They draw up a list and submit it to the civic agencies to aid them in addressing such bad patches,” said a senior police officer. “We can only do so much. We can’t directly address the problems of waterlogging. Our job is to manage and redirect traffic to ensure smooth flow.”

Police however said that when they can see visible causes of waterlogging, such as a jammed drain or potholes, they do point out the suspect cause to the civic agency concerned.

But traffic police personnel on the ground do not have the technical expertise to point out topographical features or faults in road design which might be the underlying reason for poor drainage.

Student electrocuted: Grabbed electric pole after losing control of bike on waterlogged road

A 20-year-old Delhi University student was electrocuted after he came in contact with an electric pole in northeast Delhi’s Karawal Nagar.

Eyewitnesses told police the victim, Nitin, was driving his motorcycle through a waterlogged road when he lost balance. He caught hold an electric pole to avoid falling and was electrocuted. A case has been registered at Karawal Nagar police station. ENS