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The issue of flooding in Mint Bridge could go back to the 1950s, and almost every year, governments and agencies made similar claims. However, the image remains the same every time Delhi witnesses a good amount of rain
The railway bridge has placed one side and the New Delhi station in the other. File pic/ANI
An lung bridge, with a vehicle or two barely visible under water, is an image that travels every year the monsoon reaches the national capital. The historic railway bridge, built in the 1930s, has not only seen many water floods underneath, but also the flooding of politics, guilt games and agencies that escape their responsibilities.
However, the image is configured to change this monsoon. The Department of Public Works (PWD) in Delhi is making some very necessary and expected repairs to avoid flooding ahead of the monsoon.
On Friday, the main ministers of the Delhi Cabinet, including Prime Minister Rekha Gupta, inspected the bridge and the waterlogging points in Delhi.
Gupta, while talking with the media, said they have also used oil tankers to prove the capacity of pipes and pumps. She said the tankers poured water on the road, which was clear in a matter of minutes.
Reconning adapts to incidents, said the last time the situation was so bad that only the pump operator could not reach the location, and the pump was also submerged in rainwater. He also remembered the image of buses submerged in the water register under the bridge.
“We have started the preparation in advance and we have tested through the use of oil from the oil company. Automatic pumps have been installed under the bridge. These pumps will begin to function as the water reaches a certain level. A 2.5 km long pipe has been dedicated attention to ensure that the public does not suffer in the rain,” he said.
The issue of flooding in Mint Bridge could go back to the 1950s, and almost every year, governments and agencies made similar claims. However, the image remains the same every time Delhi witnesses a good amount of rain.
The railway bridge has placed one side and the New Delhi station in the other.
According to an official of the Delhi government, there was talk to build another railway bridge and replace this.
“But this bridge has been a difficult place, since it is a heritage structure. This cannot be rebuilt. The bridge was built in the 1930s. The height was low and the design was made in mind the needs of that moment. It remained unchanged,” said the official, requesting anonymity.
Bowl shaped, the road under the bridge is prone to the accumulation of heavy water.
“In addition, all structures around the bridge are new and at a larger height. The lower part of the road similar to a bowl became deeper over the years,” the official explained.
In 2020, the PWD floated a tender for a 3 km long drainage system for Mint Road, Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg and its collection area. Two new drains were built, but the situation did not change.
Now, the PWD is building another 1,000 mm diameter drainage three meters underground. This will possibly be connected to a larger drain system.
In statements to the media, Delhi’s Cabinet Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma Verma said that officials have received instructions to ensure that all essential tasks are completed in time so that there are no waterlogging problems in any duration of the location this season.
The government, he said, has given strict monitoring orders or waterlogging.
“In 2023, the Delhi Police had identified 308 points prone to bewitched, which were reduced to 194 in 2024 in 2024. Most of these points fall under the jurisdiction of the PWD. The work is in progress towards the resolution. DESILUSIA or DRAINE INSTALLING, PUMP VARIOUS PUMPED STATIONS are being automated, he said.
Verma also said that the shortage of pump operators is being addressed through new appointments, and in places where drainage construction is underway, temporary solutions are secured by installing pump sets.
