Delhi's PWD cancels leaves of engineering staff to ensure no waterlogging

Delhi's Public Works Department has cancelled the leaves of its engineering staff till September 30 to ensure there is no waterlogging in the city during the monsoon season, officials said Monday.

Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD) has cancelled the leaves of its engineering staff till September 30 to ensure there is no waterlogging in the city during the monsoon season, officials said Monday.

The department has also asked officials to recall the engineering staff already on leave and cancel sanctioned leaves, except in case of health issues or an "unprecedented situation".

According to a circular issued by the PWD, engineering staff in the jurisdiction of chief engineers of all divisions (North, East, South, Flyover divisions) shall be on "continuous duty" during the ongoing rainy season.

"No leave of engineering staff should be sanctioned by their controlling officers during the above period (till September 30). The leave, if sanctioned already, may be cancelled and the staff may be called on duty with immediate effect until and unless there is health issue or unprecedented situation," a circular issued by the PWD on Friday stated.

Every year, people in Delhi face waterlogging during monsoon season. On Monday too, waterlogging was witnessed at many places following incessant rains overnight.

Officials privy to the development said the move was aimed at ensuring no waterlogging in the national capital during this monsoon season.

"This order has been issued so that drains could be kept clean and waterlogging complaints are dealt with more effectively. Field staff has already been asked to conduct close vigil even during night to ensure that water does not accumulate of streets," the PWD official said.

The PWD manages 2,050 km length of drains along 1,260 km of road across 17 divisions in the city. The agency has claimed that it has completed desilting of all its drains before the monsoon.