73 per cent desilting of drains not completed: Vijender Gupta

NEW DELHI: Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly and BJP leader, on Tuesday said that with pre-monsoon showers set to start from tomorrow and monsoon predicted to arrive from Friday, the Delhi government has completed only 27 per cent of desilting of drains and nallahs on its as many as 1,034 roads.

Mr Gupta asked that does the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government have a magic wand to complete 100 per cent desilting by June 30 as claimed by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Monday.

According to Mr Gupta, in reply to a question by him on March 27, public works department (PWD) minister Satyender Jain had assured the Assembly that desilting will be completed by June 15, well before the onset of the monsoon this year.

Subsequently, the PWD minister had also assured in response to Mr Gupta’s question on June 8 that 20 to 50 per cent desilting has been completed and the work will be completed by June 30, before the monsoon sets in the city.  

“It is a sad commentary on the working of the Delhi government that 73 per cent of desilting remains to be completed by its own admission,” he added

“There are around 209 roads where none of the drains has been desilted. It is unfortunate that in its fight with the bureaucracy and the sit-in at lieutenant-governor House, the government forgot that its inaction will drown the city and cause heavy misery to the very aam adami, by whose blessings and votes it has come to power ,” said the leader of opposition.

Criticising the extremely slow progress of desilting, the BJP leader said that as low as up to 25 per cent progress has been made on 419 out of 1,034 roads, that is, 40.5 per cent of the work.

He also highlighted that 172 roads, that is, 16.6 per cent of the total have undergone up to 50 per cent progress, while 166 roads i.e. 16.05 per cent have undergone 75 per cent progress.  

The BJP leader pointed to the shocking fact that none of 54 roads in North Road Division, 106 in West Road I Division and 49 roads in SRDP road division has been desilted.