Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday warned that officials will be held accountable if waterlogging is reported in the areas under their jurisdiction.
She also emphasised that no slums in the city will be demolished unless their residents are first provided with permanent housing.
Gupta made these remarks in Shalimar Bagh, her assembly constituency in north Delhi, where she inaugurated sewer, gas, and water pipeline projects.
Highlighting the administration’s recent measures, she said that last month, officials were designated for each waterlogging hotspot and that action had already been taken against those responsible for the submergence of the Minto Bridge underpass during recent rains.
“I want the officers deputed to monitor waterlogging points to do their work properly or they may be the next to face action,” she told reporters.
Gupta also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of spreading falsehoods via WhatsApp about the demolition of slums.
“We have allocated Rs 700 crore in the budget for drains, streets, toilets, bathrooms, and parks in the slums through DUSIB. I promise to slum dwellers that you will be provided pucca houses and, till then, you will live safely in your slums with all the facilities,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday slammed the BJP-led administration over waterlogging in Delhi, branding it a failure of the so-called “four-engine” government.
In its defense, the BJP stated that the government took responsibility and worked to restore normalcy instead of engaging in a blame game.
Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena also shared videos of major city drains functioning with free flow.
AAP released multiple videos on X highlighting severe flooding and alleged that Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma was abroad during the crisis. There was no immediate response from Verma.
AAP Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj and Leader of Opposition Atishi held the BJP responsible for the waterlogging.
Posting a video of the inundated ITO area, the AAP stated, “When Delhiites woke up this morning, they found the city submerged. This is the result of the so-called four-engine government. A little rain and the roads are flooded. These waterlogged streets tell the true story of BJP’s broken down four-engine government.”
The party also drew attention to the situation at Minto Road, a well-known waterlogging hotspot.
“Even a little rain caused waterlogging beneath Minto Bridge, where a car got submerged. Just a few days ago, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Minister Parvesh Verma came here for a photoshoot. They did nothing beyond clicking pictures. This is the result,” AAP said in another post.
Videos from Dhaula Kuan and Chanakyapuri were also shared by the party.
“There’s not a single part of Delhi where BJP’s failed four-engine government has not caused waterlogging. Even Chanakyapuri, one of the VIP areas of Delhi and home to numerous embassies, was submerged after a light shower,” the party stated.
Bharadwaj posted several videos on X highlighting the city’s flooded conditions. “If a minister has to travel abroad, he needs to take permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The file goes via the Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governor. So everyone knows that Sahib Singh (Parvesh Verma) is not in India. Why is BJP and its leadership hiding the fact that in these times of crisis, their PWD minister is in the USA?” he asked.
Sharing images of a flooded Timarpur Road, Bharadwaj wrote, “Here’s the condition of Timarpur under the four-engine government: Prime Minister? BJP. LG? BJP. Chief Minister? BJP. MCD Mayor? BJP. NDMC? BJP. And most importantly, all officials under BJP control. Yet this is the state of Delhi.”
Citing a video posted by the Delhi Traffic Police, he added, “Mundka is the parental village of PWD Minister Parvesh Verma. Can BJP tell us where he is?”
Former Chief Minister Atishi also posted a series of videos following the overnight rain.
“This is what happens to Delhi after just one spell of rain under the BJP’s four-engine government,” she said.
She also shared a video from ITO, pointing out that the waterlogging occurred right outside the PWD headquarters. “Where is PWD Minister Parvesh Verma hiding?” she asked.
Responding to AAP’s allegations, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva claimed that the situation was far worse last year due to the negligence of the previous administration and has since improved significantly.
Sachdeva said that when residents woke up Sunday morning, they were met with numerous complaints of fallen trees and waterlogging following a late-night storm.
“Following the instructions of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, all BJP MLAs and councillors, along with officials from the Delhi Jal Board and Public Works Department, took to the streets despite it being a Sunday. By 9 am, most trees were cleared and much of the waterlogging removed, easing traffic across the city. By noon, the situation was brought under control,” he said in a statement.
He added that unlike the Kejriwal government, which blamed the L-G and officials and left the public to suffer, the BJP-led administration takes responsibility and works with officials to resolve issues swiftly after sudden rains or storms.
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Sachdeva noted that with each rainy season, the people of Delhi can clearly observe the contrast between the previous AAP government and the current BJP-led administration.
Meanwhile, LG Saxena commended the efforts of the Delhi government in tackling waterlogging and acknowledged the legacy of prolonged neglect.
“It is encouraging to see the Irrigation & Flood Control Department striving to make our drains flow and mitigate waterlogging amidst heavy unexpected rains. The consistent efforts of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta via field visits and monitoring have started showing results. The morass set in due to the neglect of more than a decade will take considerable time getting fully sorted, but the new government’s efforts at governance are indeed gratifying,” he posted on X, along with videos of major city drains.
(With inputs from PTI)
