The Times of India  20.08.2010

NEW DELHI: Even as the city suffered due to widespread waterlogging on Thursday, MCD officials parroted their usual excuses. The civic body blamed waterlogging on the ongoing construction across and dug up roads. Its officials also claimed the drainage system in the city can’t deal with excessive rain and there is little the civic body can do.

“I admit waterlogging is a problem. But there is no solution untill digging and construction work does not end in the city. Most of the waterlogging spots are near the stretches where construction work is is going on. We have set up pumps at all vulnerable points to avoid waterlogging,” said Yogender Chandolia, chairman of MCD standing committee.

The civic agency, which is responsible for desilting storm water drains in the city, said in July that it had cleaned all 1,500 drains twice this year. According to MCD’s annual desilting report the civic agency had over-achieved its target its year.

Motorists complained of facing difficulty in driving through waterlogged roads. Cars and autorickshaws got stuck in water and pedestrians had to wade through knee-deep water at many places. Water also entered houses in several parts of the city.

MCD’s control room received 106 complaints of waterlogging on Thursday with maximum complaints (38) coming from the central zone. The worst affected areas included Moolchand, CP, Punchkuian Road, Rajghat, IP flyover, Kishanganj railway crossing, Chirag Delhi, Jangpura. Complaints were also received from Lajpat Nagar, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, CGO Complex, Yamuna Sports Complex, Games Village, Kamla Market, Minto Road, Ajmeri Gate, Daryganj, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Ramjas Road, Rangpura, Khalsa Collage, Rohtak Road, Bhajanpura, Loni Road, Wazirabad, Lawrence Road, Ashok Vihar, MB Road, Tigri Colony, Devli Road, Vasant Vihar, Filmistan and Bara Hindu Rao Hospital and Mayapuri. There were 23 complaints of trees falling and 11 of building collapses.