Delhi govt braces up for waterlogging, flood ahead of G20 Summit

Officials on Thursday announced that a contingency strategy has been readied to combat waterlogging at the forthcoming G20 venue and other crucial points during the imminent two-day event in the city next month.

The blueprint entails deploying an array of tractor-mounted high-capacity 50 horsepower pumps to eliminate surplus water. Additionally, mechanical road sweeping (MRS) vehicles, equipped with potent water jetting apparatus, will be dispatched to cleanse mire and sediment from the roadside. Notably, a cutting-edge ‘super sucker’ will be deployed to unclog drains and sewer lines, ensuring unobstructed water flow.

To ensure effective execution, these mechanisms will operate round-the-clock in two shifts spanning 12 hours each. Monitoring responsibilities will be vested in a sanitary inspector, an assistant, and an IAS and DANICS officer in training.

The management of these resources and personnel falls within the jurisdiction of the SDMs in the respective areas, as confirmed by officials.

Just last month, torrential rains inundated a tunnel leading to Ring Road at Pragati Maidan, the primary summit location, prompting the LG to devise a systematic water evacuation scheme.

This strategy encompasses accumulating water in 1,000-liter reservoirs, which is then pumped into reservoirs with a capacity of 2,000 liters. Subsequently, the water is transferred to reservoirs with a 50,000-liter capacity. Ultimately, the amassed water is funneled into an adjacent drain for discharge into the Yamuna River, authorities stated.

Raj Niwas officials revealed that Delhi’s LG V K Saxena undertook visits to several vulnerable sites to assess their preparedness. In a recent review meeting focused on G20 preparations, the LG mandated officials to formulate a contingency blueprint to tackle severe waterlogging in proximity to the international convention center at Pragati Maidan—the summit’s venue—as well as at Rajghat, delegates’ accommodations, and other strategic junctures, should the city experience heavy rainfall.

During his inspection, the LG examined the route extending from Pragati Maidan Gate No 5 on Bhairon Marg to Rajghat, critically evaluating flood management strategies.

“We’ve made substantial progress since the July flooding. We’ve assessed our readiness to avert waterlogging in the Pragati Maidan tunnel leading to the ring road. We’ve managed to successfully channel excess water through a three-tier reservoir system, with capacities of 1, 3, and 50 thousand liters respectively, into the central drain,” the LG shared on X.

In a separate update, Saxena noted that across different locations, uneven pavements, exposed manholes, unshielded drains, waterlogged depressions, and deteriorating well mouths are recurring issues on the roads. Immediate remedial action is being taken to address these concerns.

The G20 Summit is scheduled for September 9-10. (With inputs from PTI)