New Delhi: With waterlogging and traffic
jams due to rains exposing Delhi`s vulnerabilities, an
embarrassed Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today pulled up
civic agencies for the "mess" ahead of the Commonwealth Games
and directed them to improve drainage and repair roads damaged
by the downpour.
The Chief Minister said rubbles lying in and around
project sites blocked the drains following the rains and told
the agencies involved in various road projects to clear the
construction wastes and other debris immediately from the
project sites.
Dikshit, at a meeting of top officials of various
agencies including MCD, NDMC and PWD, asked them to submit
individual reports about their preparation to deal with the
problem in coming days.
When asked about yesterday`s situation and whether Delhi
was prepared for the mega sporting event, the Chief Minister
said the government has set August 10 as deadline for removing
all construction waste and other garbage across the city.
"It is true that there is lot of rubble lying around. We
had set August 10 as deadline for clearing the rubble," she
said, adding "the rain yesterday was unprecedented."
The traffic in the national capital crawled last evening
following heavy rains, raising question mark over the
government`s preparedness for the Games to be held in less
than three months` time.
Dikshit and PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan also visited
various project sites today to take stock of the situation and
sternly directed officials to complete the projects ahead of
the deadline of August 31.
Chauhan even warned the officials against any
complacency, saying the government would not hesitate to take
action against those found negligent in their duties.
Meanwhile, facing flak over waterlogging in all the
arterial roads, the MCD said zonal deputy commissioners will
be held personally responsible over such complaints and asked
officials to take remedial measures and avoid going on leave
during monsoon season.
Mayor P R Sawhney held a meeting to take stock of the
situation arising out of yesterday`s rains in which Municipal
Commissioner K S Mehra, all DCs and other senior officials
were present.
While stressing the need to take "necessary action at
the field level with special emphasis on vulnerable points",
the Mayor at the same time said other agencies like PWD should
also "play their part" in combating the problem.
Deadline for DMRC
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit
today set July 31 as deadline for Delhi Metro to hand over
various roads currently under its control along the upcoming
Metro lines to PWD and other agencies so that beautification
and relaying of roads could be started thereafter.
At a high-level meeting, attended by DMRC Managing
Director E Sreedharan, PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, besides
top officials of various agencies including MCD and NDMC,
Dikshit asked the Delhi Metro to remove all construction
wastes from their project sites within the set deadline of
August 10.
Sreedharan said DMRC will hand over all the roads under
its control to the concerned agencies by the deadline set by
Dikshit. He also told the meeting that DMRC will complete
beautification and greening exercise beneath all its
overground Metro lines by September 15.
Dikshit stressed upon the need of finishing work on new
networks by DMRC along the roads that lead to the Games
venues.
The Chief Minister underlining the importance of ensuring
proper upkeep of the roads, asked all agencies involved in
implementation of various projects to have an effective
coordination so that all the works could be completed on time.
It was decided in the meeting that DMRC will develop the
carriageways whereas NDMC will undertake development of
footpaths in the roads in NDMC areas currently under Delhi
Metro.
In case of roads belonging to PWD and MCD, all the works
will be undertaken by these two agencies after their handover
by the DMRC.
All concerned agencies including PWD, MCD and NDMC
will undertake a joint inspection of the roads currently with
DMRC so that repair and other works could be completed within
shortest possible time.
The roads that DMRC has to hand over to PWD, MCD and NDMC
includes Sunheri Bagh Lane, Mother Teresa Road, Humayun Road,
Akbar Road, Tuglak Road, Tuglak Road Intersection, RP Road,
Raisina Road, Red Cross Road, Rakab Ganj Road, Rafi Marg and
Aurobindo Marg, Anandmayee Marg and Aurobindo Marg.
It also has to hand over Lala Lajpat Rai Marg to DIMTS.
PTI
