Times of India 24.07.2009

MCD desilting claims go down drain

Sudden downpour on Thursday caused waterlogging in several parts of the city causing traffic jams and putting to test Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) claims of having completed desilting of all its 1,500 drains.

MCD's control rooms received seven complaints of waterlogging from various parts of the city. Waterlogging was reported from roads around ISBT, Jhandewalan, Pitampura, near Lado Sarai depot Munirka sub-way, Nangloi Najafgarh road, Vijay Vihar Phootkalan, Khera Kala. Among the worst affected were the areas where Metro and PWD construction activities have been undertaken. MCD has a budget of Rs 20 crore for desilting of drains.

Besides this, waterlogging was reported near K G Marg, Connaught Place, ITO, Tilak Marg, Moolchand, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Sarita Vihar, Okhla, Kalkaji, New Friends Colony, Ashram, Vikas Marg. In addition to this, seven complaints of trees being uprooted were received from Andrews Ganj Police Colony, IP Estate bus depot, Tibia College, Ajmal Khan Road, Ambedkar Stadium, near Delhi Gate, Edward Lane, Kingsway Camp, Trilokpuri old police station and Kalyanpuri Chand Cinema. The civic body also received a complaint of wall collapse in Trilokpuri.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) received eight complaints of trees getting uprooted at Kasturba Gandhi Marg, RP Lane, Tughlaq Road, Tolstoy Marg, Rajendra Road, Mother Teresa Road, Amrit Shergil Marg, India Gate.

Meanwhile, the sudden downpour also slowed down traffic in several areas, the worst hit being New Delhi roads. During the evening rush hour, the average speed of vehicles came down considerably in the heart of the city where waterlogging and several trees which fell on main roads caused traffic snarls.

A fire at Shastri Bhawan on Rafi Marg aggravated the congestion in the area. Said Shruti Mahajan, who works on Parliament Street: "It took me nearly half an hour just to get out of central Delhi and reach RML Hospital roundabout. Traffic was moving so slowly, despite the fact that it had stopped raining. It was just so frustrating.''

A procession organized at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara also led the traffic police to close several roads including Baba Kharak Singh Marg in the evening. This led to further chaos in the area.