Sewage swamps papers at many Lodhi offices

She added: “For the last three years, we have been corresponding with the MCD officials, but to no avail. In fact, initially the MCD referred us to the CPWD who referred us to the NDMC and then after completing the entire circle, we came back to MCD. Not that it helped.”

This view is echoed by the officials of the Indian Ports Association (IPA). Says C.S. Venkataraman, chief executive officer, IPA: “I have built two thick files of correspondence with the various agencies involved in the upkeep of this area. Now we have finally approached Kiran Bedi for help. The road is unpaved and there is so much water logging in the area, that we feel ashamed when anyone comes to visit us. How we manage to survive is something else entirely.”

Venkataraman added that they had even asked the secretary to the Ministry of Surface Transport to help them. “We just don’t know what to do. We can if we want, pave the road. But what is the point? Within a year, the road will be back to the same state because of this perennial water logging. Unless the sewage system is set right, nothing will change,” he pointed out.

Admitting that there was a problem, N.N. Pant, zonal engineer, said: “There is only a four inch PVC pipe for sewage in this area. It has to be replaced with an RCC pipe to solve the problem.We have floated a tender but the problem is with the budget allocation.”

“Initially, this was with the water supply department then shifted to the general wing. Now we have to see whether it will be the responsibility of the new water board, whose bill has been passed in the assembly or with the water supply department. Hopefully, things will be clearer by April.”