Delhi L-G, CM review Urban Flood Mitigation Plan, warn officials against laxity
New Delhi, July 20
Delhi Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday assessed preparedness for heavy rainfall and the progress in implementing the Urban Flood Mitigation Plan at a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority.
The L-G cautioned officials that they would be held accountable if they failed to follow instructions to prevent waterlogging.
During the meeting, the officials shared that the number of waterlogging sites has come down drastically over the last year, said an official statement.
Waterlogging sites, which stood at 194 in 2024, had come down to 169 in 2025 and reduced to 34 till now in 2026, said the statement.
The meeting also reviewed the progress in establishing the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in the Capital, said an official statement.
Ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh and Ashish Sood, the Chief Secretary, the Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Additional Chief Secretary (I&FC), MCD Commissioner, Vice-Chairman (DDA), Divisional Commissioner and Heads of all departments concerned including PWD, Home, Transport and Fire, were also present in the meeting.
The LG observed that although there had been a significant improvement in the city's flood situation compared to 2024 and 2025, there was still scope for further improvement.
Emphasising that Met predictions indicated spells of sudden, heavy rainfall, he underlined that all necessary steps must be taken to ensure there is minimal or no flooding.
Sandhu reiterated that although flooding was largely a legacy issue in the city, officials should enforce all measures to tackle it in the short term, even as the long-term Drainage Master Plan is implemented.
The Chief Minister, while expressing satisfaction with the de-siltation works undertaken so far, stressed that the silt removed should be disposed of simultaneously.
She also stressed that no drain, sewer line, or manhole should be left uncovered, and that any potholes or ditches should be levelled immediately.
The issue of preventive removal of dangerous trees that often fall during storms or heavy rainfall was also discussed, wherein it was underlined that action to this effect should be proactive rather than as a reaction to tragic accidents.
The Chief Minister raised serious concern over this and directed that such trees be identified and removed on a priority basis to prevent any loss of life, the statement said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see L-G and CM working together on this. But I wish they'd also focus on why drains get clogged in the first place - construction debris and garbage dumping. De-silting is a temporary fix, we need citizen awareness too. Also, SDRF establishment is long overdue!
Numbers dropped from 194 to 34? If that's true, kudos to the teams working on ground. But as a south Delhi resident, our area still gets flooded with just 2 hours of rain. Maybe focus on micro-drainage at local levels, not just big projects. And yes, remove those dangerous trees - we had a near miss last year!
I appreciate the seriousness shown by both L-G and CM. But words are cheap when the water starts rising. We've heard warnings before - let's see if officials are actually held accountable when roads flood next week. Also, why no mention of Yamuna river management? That's the real flood risk!
As someone who drives through Ring Road daily, I can say things have improved slightly but not enough. The meeting had all major departments - PWD, MCD, DDA, Traffic Police - that's good. But coordination is key. Hope the long-term Drainage Master Plan actually gets funds and doesn't remain a file movement exercise. 🤞
Women in my colony will be relieved to hear about uncovered manholes - that's a safety hazard for everyone, especially after dark. And yes, dangerous trees near schools and markets need urgent attention. One tree fell near my daughter's school last monsoon - tragedy narrowly avoided. Action should
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