Waterlogging: HC says drainage situation in SouthEx deplorable

The drainage system in some areas of South Delhi today came under the scanner of the Delhi High Court, which said the situation highlighted "complete apathy" of concerned agencies as drains were covered with concrete or filled with debris, affecting their capacity to carry water.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva made the observation after going through a report submitted by a local commissioner appointed by it to inspect the area and submit the findings on the specific issue of waterlogging and drainage South Extension-I and Kushak Nallah.
The court also said the report of the local commissioner (LC), advocate Jayant Mehta, highlighted the "complete apathy on the part of the agencies" - Public Works Department (PWD) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).

It sought the presence of the concerned Chief Engineers of PWD and SDMC on next date of May 27 "to bring about a meaningful change in the area".
The directions came after the court perused the report which sasid the drains in the internal lanes of South Extension-I (SE-I) did not have any inlet for water as they were completely concretised.
Wherever inlets are available, these are filled with filth, sewage or debris, the report said and added that same was the case where drains were covered by perforated tiles, which were broken at places and the pieces blocking the water inlets.

The local commissioner also told the court that the residential part of SE-I was lower than its surrounding areas. So during rains, water from adjoining neighbourhoods flowed down there and flooded it. Lack of sufficient or no drainage on the adjacent Ring Road also contributed to the waterlogging.

The report also said the width of Kushak Nallah has been constricted to 20 per cent due to construction work of the Barapullah elevated road and added if urgent steps were not taken to clear the debris from the nallah bed, it would not be able to carry the rain or storm water.

The report said a parking facility was also being constructed a few feet above the nallah and this work has also resulted in "constraining" its effective width which would affect its water carrying capacity.
On last date of hearing, the high court had said there has been "no progress" in the civic authorities' efforts to deal with the issue of waterlogging which occurs in SE-I every monsoon.