IIT-Delhi hands Arvind Kejriwal plan to fix drainage

In a statement, the government said that the report recommended corrective measures for faulty drainage infrastructure, low-cost flood preventing measures and ensuring that solid waste is managed better. The meeting was also attended by the Delhi government’s PWD, DUSIB and DSIIDC departments as well as the DDA, NDMC.
On multiple authorities, the report said that “extra care is required in such cases because if desilting is not carried out in proper coordination” it will lead to ineffectiveness, and said that “effort should be made to put all the stormwater drains under a single agency that shall take care of many identified issues.”

The report also flagged that the last drainage master plan for the capital was prepared in 1976 — when its population was 60 lakh. “The 2011 census said that Delhi’s population was 167 lakh and the projected population is 250 lakh…” said an official.

The report recommended that stormwater drains be treated as “key public assets” to prevent encroachment.  Pulling up the DJB, it said: “Current practice of DJB of puncturing sewer lines and draining sewage into stormdrains in the event of blockage should be stopped”. It also recommended that the schedule for desilting be made public, and that “opening sewer man holes to discharge local storm water” be penalised.

The Delhi High Court has also suggested that authorities take “emergency efforts” to ensure drains in the city are free of obstruction.