Work as team to fix waterlogging: Delhi Chief Secy tells agencies

Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev has directed the PWD to coordinate with agencies like NDMC, MCDs, DJB and DSIIDC to address waterlogging in the city and asked them to work as a team failing which responsibility will be fixed, officials said Sunday. Officials have been asked to monitor waterlogging round-the-clock during rains and videograph or photograph a particular site as "proof" that water has been pumped out.

In view of the ongoing monsoon season, the chief secretary recently held a meeting with agencies and instructed them to ensure no waterlogging in the city, an official said. "Concerned executive engineer (civil) and executive engineer (electrical) will coordinate with other agencies namely NDMC, three MCDs, DJB, DDA, I&FC, DSIIDC, Railway etc by personally contacting with them and work as team at the local level failing which responsibility will be fixed," the PWD said in an order.

It added that non-performance may attract action against the concerned engineers. The Public Works Department has also asked the executive engineers looking after the work to pump out water to maintain a log book which should indicate "stagnant problem area", "step taken to pump out stagnant water" and "time taken to pump out water" among others.

"All controlling officers will ensure any good work supported by documents be put up to higher officer so that the same can be forwarded to principal secretary (PWD) for recording appreciation in the APARs (Annual Performance Assessment Reports)," it said. If any lapse is found, all controlling officers, will submit it for fixing the responsibility on the concerned officials, it added.

Last month, a 56-year-old man drowned under the waterlogged Minto Bridge. Later, the PWD decided to barricade roads leading to the bridge if the water level rises over 45 centimeters during rains and also warned that it will file an FIR against those not following traffic restrictions. It had also said that all vehicular traffic moving towards the Minto Bridge would be stopped in coordination with police when the water level rises above 45 cm.

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