CM Rekha Gupta inspects Minto Bridge, directs measures for 'zero waterlogging'

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday inspected Minto Bridge and two other waterlogging-prone points for preparedness to tackle waterlogging, promising that her team was working on war footing to save the city from coming to a standstill due to marooning in monsoon.

“We are installing automatic pumps and laying a 2.5-km pipe to prevent water collection under the bridge,” she said, during an inspection in which she was accompanied by Minister Parvesh Verma, responsible for irrigation, flood control and water.

Inspecting the provisions for rainwater inlet and pumping facilities at the colonial-era Minto Bridge, CM Gupta said the government is working in a time-bound manner and conducting checks in advance to “ensure that not even a drop of rainwater” gets collected during rains.

She pointed out that during the last monsoon, the area got submerged in water, and the pump operator could not reach the spot on time.

“We will ensure the presence of an operator round the clock and also activate automatic pumping if the water reaches a particular level,” said CM Gupta.

The CM and Minister Verma also inspected the facilities to check waterlogging at Ring Road near the WHO office and Pul Prahladpur near Tughlakabad in southeast Delhi.

She said that at the Minto Bridge, trial runs were conducted with water tankers to see if the channel for carrying away water is without any blockage.

“A list of points prone to waterlogging has been prepared, and Minister Parvesh is ensuring that all of them get a solution well in time,” she added.

The Chief Minister said the Government is working diligently to ensure that waterlogging does not take place and traffic jams do not occur during the rains.

Minto Bridge is a railway underbridge, and the road passing under it connects the central business district of Connaught Place to the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi Railway Station.

The point is notorious for waterlogging and has featured in many news items over the decades, showing public transport buses marooned in rainwater that tends to rise to 10 feet during heavy rainfall.

Over the years, the prevention of waterlogging at this point in the monsoon has been considered a certificate of efficiency for civic agencies.

--IANS

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