Delhi: MCD reports 80% progress in pre-monsoon desilting, AAP raises concerns

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has completed nearly 80 per cent of the first phase of desilting work in drains measuring four feet and above, with a month still left before the June 30 deadline, officials said on Sunday.

Data presented by the civic body showed that 1,12,053.68 metric tonnes (MT) of silt had been removed from 793 major drains against a Phase-I target of 1,41,003 MT as of May 19, taking overall progress to 79.47 per cent.

For drains below four feet, 25,812.99 MT of silt had been removed against a target of 25,850.74 MT, with work nearly complete at 99.85 per cent. This category covers 12,116 drains across the city.

The data showed varying levels of progress across zones in the desilting of major drains.

Civil Lines surpassed its target with 109.08 per cent completion, while Rohini and Keshavpuram recorded more than 97 per cent progress. Najafgarh, which has the highest number of major drains at 133, reported 65.91 per cent progress, while the Central Zone stood at 76.67 per cent and South Zone at 79.74 per cent.

The annual desilting exercise began in February as part of Delhi’s pre-monsoon preparedness measures. More than 13,000 drains under the MCD’s jurisdiction are cleaned every year to improve stormwater flow and reduce the risk of waterlogging during the monsoon.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that drain-cleaning work remained incomplete in several parts of the city and warned that Delhi could face waterlogging during the upcoming monsoon season.

MCD Leader of Opposition Ankush Narang claimed that major drains, including Shahdara and Najafgarh, had not been cleaned adequately and questioned whether pending desilting work would be completed before the onset of rains.

“Major drains such as Shahdara and Najafgarh have still not been cleaned. As a result, during the rains, waterlogging will once again be seen on every street and road under the MCD,” Narang said in a statement.

MCD officials, however, maintained that the desilting exercise was progressing according to schedule and would be complete before the monsoon season.