Delhi Drainage Deadlock: Minister and Bureaucrats Clash Over Desilting Plan

A comprehensive plan for desilting Delhi's drains, prepared by a committee of top officials, has sparked a fresh dispute between Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and bureaucrats. The delay in the plan's approval comes amid rising tensions following a fatal flooding incident. The proposal aims to consolidate drainage management under one authority.

A comprehensive plan for desilting Delhi's drains, prepared by a three-member committee including the MCD commissioner, PWD principal secretary, and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO, has remained pending with Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj for months, according to official sources.

However, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Bharadwaj claimed the file was approved on April 29 this year and would be implemented post-monsoon. During a press conference, Bharadwaj criticized the Delhi Chief Secretary and other IAS officers for ignoring drainage issues.

Officials indicated the file, which includes a proposal for a unified authority to manage 18 main drains, remained with the minister since August 2023. The ongoing rift between AAP ministers and bureaucrats has intensified following the death of three IAS aspirants due to basement flooding attributed to drain encroachments.