As commuters waded home on Friday, the Delhi BJP and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) traded blame over responsibility for waterlogging in the city.
Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta, citing a Public Works Department (PWD) report, said that drains along only 387 roads of 1,033 were fully desilted as of June 29. He also alleged that 75% of work was still remaining on 308 roads.
Hitting out at the BJP-run civic bodies, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said: “About 80% of the roads and 90% of the drains in Delhi are with the municipal corporations. De-silting is their primary responsibility.”
The Leader of the House of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, however, said that waterlogging was seen on roads belonging to the PWD. “The North civic body alerted them [the PWD] that their drains are not desilted, that is why our drains, though desilted, are overflowing,” he added.
Regarding desilting of Public Works Department drains, Mr. Bharadwaj said that the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s Petitions Committee presented a report regarding lack of desilting last monsoon.
“The Assembly wanted to take action but the officers got relief from the courts. The government was not allowed to take action as services was snatched by the Centre. Now, the Supreme Court has given its judgment and services will be under the elected government. Action will be taken,” he said.