Monsoon-ready? Analysis says Delhi is not even close

NEW DELHI: The recent showers and thunderstorms have brought back the focus on monsoon-readiness in the city and exposed the authorities.
Scores of commuters faced traffic congestion despite the authorities claiming to have started work on desilting drains, changing road designs and deploying more water pumping units since May.

An analysis of 200 waterlogging hotspots identified by Delhi Traffic Police, Public Works Department and Municipal Corporation of Delhi revealed that Aurobindo Marg, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Rohtak Road and inner Ring Road were the top six stretches with the highest number of waterlogging spots.
Ring Road, which is of 55 kilometres, has the highest number of spots, including Mayapuri Metro Station, Moolchand Underpass, near AIIMS, near Mayapuri Chowk, near Rajdhani College to ESI Hospital, Sector 13, RK Puram, near Satya Niketan, among others.
Rohtak Road is one of the main routes connecting the neighbouring state of Haryana with Delhi having hotspots at Nangloi Metro Station, Mundka village, Tikri border and Zakhira towards Anand Parbat.
Aurobindo Marg, which connects central and south Delhi and passes through AIIMS and other landmarks, also has many waterlogging spots. This important arterial road is a primary conduit for traffic from north and central Delhi, including the commercial hub of Connaught Place, and south and southwest Delhi, including Jor Bagh, INA, AIIMS and Green Park Metro stations, apart from Gurugram.
Mehrauli-Badarpur Road has the infamous Pul Prahladpur, which gets flooded every year. The railway underpass witnessed waterlogging at least seven times last year. It claimed the life of a person in 2021 as well as this year. PWD is trying to solve recurrent waterlogging by constructing a huge sump with a capacity of 7.5 lakh litres, along with an additional motor pump of 600hp to remove water accumulated in the underpass.
Lala Lajpat Rai Marg witnesses frequent waterlogging near Central School, Greater Kailash, Lodhi flyover, Moolchand bus stand, Jangpura and Lajpat Nagar Metro Station. Grand Trunk Road, another important stretch connecting east Delhi with the NCR, is also marred with waterlogging.
At the hotspots, 132 storm water drains are under PWD compared with 147 last year. PWD claims desilting work has started in several divisions and the first phase would be completed by June 15. PWD Minister Manish Sisodia had earlier directed the department to complete desilting work by May 31 and said strict action would be taken against the officials concerned for laxity.