Thu Mar 20 02:12:02 UTC 2025: **Delhi Begins Desilting of Sunehri Pul Drain After NGT Intervention**
NEW DELHI, March 20, 2025 – Work has begun to desilt the covered portion of the Sunehri Pul drain in south Delhi following an order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The desilting project, which involves cutting sections of the concrete covering to access accumulated silt, follows concerns raised by the NGT last month regarding the city’s drainage system.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, and Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh inspected the ongoing work on Wednesday. CM Gupta explained that the drain’s concrete covering, installed without consideration for future cleaning, caused severe waterlogging during monsoon season. Advanced machinery is being used to remove years of accumulated silt. Minister Singh added that suction machines are being deployed to efficiently remove waste, with treated water then being released back into the drain.
The I&FCD manages 24 major drains in Delhi, all ultimately flowing into the Yamuna River. The NGT had previously ordered the completion of desilting work on 23 drains by May 31, 2025, and the Najafgarh drain by June 30, 2027. While the Sunehri Pul drain’s desilting is underway, the status of the Kushak drain, also flagged by the NGT, remains unclear, with no mention in the Chief Minister’s Office statement. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is reportedly responsible for desilting the covered portion of the Kushak drain and will issue an expression of interest (EOI) for feasible desilting methods within seven days.
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