Delhi Chief Minister Rekh Gupta also said that a comprehensive campaign to control air pollution will be launched and the entire ring road will be made dust-free. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma and they visited the Barapullah Drain in Outer Ring Road, Sunheri Pul Drain near Clover Leaf Flyover and other areas.
Ms. Gupta also said that a comprehensive campaign to control air pollution will be launched and the entire ring road will be made dust-free. She said that instructions given to traffic police and concerned departments to remove congestion during traffic movement on about 250 roads of Delhi.
After the visit, Ms. Gupta said that the Delhi government is working with full seriousness to ensure that the city’s residents do not face waterlogging issues during the monsoon.
She said that clear instructions have been given to all relevant departments to work in coordination and complete the cleaning and improvement of the drainage system within the stipulated time frame. The government’s commitment is to make the drainage system fully functional before the monsoon so that water does not accumulate on Delhi’s roads and the public does not face any inconvenience.
She further explained that until the major drains of the city are thoroughly cleaned and their water-carrying capacity is increased, the issue of waterlogging will persist. “During the inspection, it was observed that lack of coordination among agencies was a key reason for waterlogging issues. To address this challenge, the Delhi government has assigned the Flood and Irrigation Department a special responsibility to ensure timely desilting of drains. A dedicated budget has been allocated,” she said.
“Additionally, a large-scale mission has been launched to clean smaller drains along roads, with the government making this a priority task. To ensure effective execution, ministers have been assigned different projects, and MLAs have been tasked with monitoring ongoing work in their respective constituencies. The Chief Minister emphasized that this will not be just a paperwork formality—feedback will be collected from residents and legislators to verify whether the desilting work has been properly executed,” she said.
The Delhi government said in an official statement that desilting and dredging efforts of the Barapullah, Sunehri and Kushak drains that had been started by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, after severe flooding and related complaints by residents during last monsoon and Ms. Gupta and Mr. Singh accompanied the L-G to review the work on Sunday.
Dust pollution
Later in the day, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement that the government campaign to reduce air pollution includes making the entire Ring Road dust-free, planting trees along roads and dividers, and reducing traffic congestion.
“The entire Ring Road will be made dust-free to control dust pollution in Delhi. This will be achieved through regular mechanized road sweeping and the use of sprinklers to prevent dust accumulation on roadsides. Additionally, strict enforcement of dust control measures at construction sites will be ensured. The government has also instructed an intensive PUC check to ensure vehicles meet pollution norms,” CM Rekha Gupta said as per an official statement.
The government has begun implementing strict and effective measures to tackle Delhi’s air pollution and after reviewing various solutions.
“With the development of green belts along roads, dust control with modern techniques, and strengthening public transport, the government is ready to give Delhi residents a clean, healthy and green future. Moving forward, MCD, PWD, DDA and other concerned road-owning agencies were instructed to plant trees along roadsides and central verges,” on official statement said.
The Chief Minister said that 250 major road stretches with regular traffic jams have been identified. “All concerned departments have been instructed to identify the causes of traffic jams with the help from Delhi Traffic Police. Improved traffic management systems will be installed at major junctions,” she said.
The CM also said that they have plans to enhance public transportation efficiency through DTC bus route rationalization initiative and this will improve public transport convenience and reduce reliance on private vehicles, thereby lowering pollution levels.
A control room will also be set up for real-time monitoring of public buses, she added.
Published – March 17, 2025 10:15 am IST