From Yamuna tributary to monsoon bane: The story of Barapullah drain

Earlier, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi had attributed the waterlogging in Central and South Delhi due to blocking of Barapullah, stating that debris from construction of Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) was being dumped into the drain.

The route

The nullah originates from Mehrauli and flows through Saket, Chirag Dilli, Savitri Nagar, and Defence Colony before reaching Nizamuddin. A tributary runs from RK Puram through Gautam Nagar, Seva Nagar, CGO Complex, and meets the main nullah at Nizamuddin. Another stream carries water from Greater Kailash through LSR, Amar Colony, Central Market, Lajpat Nagar, Jangpura Extension, Pant Nagar, and finally to Nizamuddin. The basin is managed by the PWD, while the Sarai Kale Khan section comes under the irrigation and flood control department. Karol Bagh section is the responsibility of the NDMC while the rest is under MCD.

“When the Commonwealth Games were scheduled for 2010, thousands of trucks of debris were dumped into the nullah to make an elevated ground for trucks for construction work. Over time, so much debris has been dumped that there is no space for the water to flow anymore… the agencies involved do not cooperate in cleaning the nullah,” said Anil Gosawmi, Head of the Bhogal RWA.

The history

Historically, the nullah was a tributary of the Yamuna River, receiving water from the ridge and other streams before flowing into the Yamuna. Author and historian Swapna Liddle said, “The name ‘Barapullah’ dates back to the era of Jahangir, when a bridge with twelve pillars was constructed over it, leading to its name (with ‘Barapullah’ translating to ‘twelve pillars’).”

For 23 years, the Nizamuddin Residents Welfare Association (RWA) has been fighting a legal battle for its upkeep, initially in the Supreme Court and before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for the past nine years. Despite the NGT’s efforts to appoint high-powered committees and issue directives, the authorities—chiefly the state government, DJB, and DDA—have brazenly flouted court orders, they said.

Efforts to dredge and desilt the Barapullah Nullah have been hampered by the dumping of debris and the absence of effective sewage treatment, as stated in the NGT tribunal’s order.