Jain seeks completion of desilting by June 22

New Delhi: Ahead of the rainy season, the Delhi government on Friday directed the PWD to complete desilting of drains under its jurisdiction by June 22. Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satyendar Jain held a high-level meeting with senior officers and engineers who informed him that the progress of desilting of drains as on June 12 was 77 per cent and the same will be completed by June 22.

Monsoon is expected to reach Delhi in the first week of July. Waterlogging is a recurrent problem every year in Delhi. Agencies in the national capital blame each other for the same. According to a statement, the Minister advised the officers to install bar screening or MS Steel grills in the drains to prevent floating material in the channels from the drains of MCD, DDA and Delhi Jal Board, which was part of the directions of the Yamuna Monitoring Committee.

"PWD Minister Satyendar Jain directs the department to complete desilting of drains under its jurisdiction till June 22," the statement stated. He instructed that all the existing maintenance vans should have GPS of the same agency as already directed for monitoring their movement and working, the statement read.

"During rainy season, additional mobile vans fitted with GPS of the same agency, may be hired as per previous practice so that these vans can reach immediately to remove any ponding of water on PWD roads," it also stated. He directed that during rains the labour in maintenance van may be increased from five to seven to attend complaints of ponding of water, potholes, etc., on PWD roads, it added.