After yesterday's water logging, minister talks tough

New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) Describing water logging in the capital's streets following the season's first decent rains yesterday as an 'embarrassment', Delhi Urban Development and Public Works Department Minister A K Walia today cracked the whip and fixed the responsibility of land owning agencies for any road cutting in their area.

Blaming various development projects being carried out in different parts of the city for interrupting the flow of water on the streets, he said PWD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Development Authority would be held responsible for any cutting on roads under their jurisdiction.

''There shall be no slackness henceforth so that such incidents do not reocur,'' Dr Walia said.

No road cutting would be allowed between July 1 and September 30, when the rains got over, the minister said. He, however, added that cutting would be allowed in emergency cases with due permission from the land owning agency concerned.

Such projects not only interrupted the flow of water on the streets but also damaged storm water drainage pipes.

He had held a meeting with representatives of PWD, MCD, NDMC, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Metro and Delhi Police late yesterday.

Dr Walia told the agencies not to shift responsibility to each other but conduct joint inspections after identifying all the sites where water logging occurred yesterday, and finish the work required before July 1.

He was informed that out of 1,296 storm water drains under the control of MCD, 525 had been de-silted/cleaned while work was on in 720. 50 others did not need maintenance. Out of 95 drains under PWD, 70 had been cleaned and work was on in 17. Out of 17 drains under the Flood and Irrigation Department, 12 had been cleaned while work was on in five.

The minister would personally monitor the work done by PWD on Friday.

UNI IP MSJ DS1645