Draft of new drainage master plan submitted to the government

A draft of the new drainage master plan was submitted to the Delhi government, said a source on Wednesday. The government is likely to take more time to implement the proposed new drainage plan, the source added.

The plan, prepared by private consultancies, is expected to help the government resolve the issues of waterlogging and flooding in the city.

“Once the master plan is finalised, tenders will be floated, inviting private contractors to carry out the works needed. But it will take more time,” a Delhi government source said.

One of the main reasons for the waterlogging in the city is that it continues to operate on a drainage master plan created in 1976.

The plan was designed for a population of 60 lakh and intended to handle only 50 mm of rainfall.

However, the population of the national capital has since increased fourfold.

In June, The Hindu had reported that the drainage master plan had missed several deadlines.

The Delhi government had in 2011 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi to develop a drainage master plan.

The team submitted its report in 2018, featuring a dynamic software model designed to incorporate data such as topography, soil type, and rainfall.

However, in 2021, a technical committee rejected it, prompting the government to start the process afresh.