Delhi Drain Cleaning: Nine Months of Grit Revealed

The extensive nine-month operation to clean and desilt the 1.3km Defence Colony drain is now complete, as confirmed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. This vital channel, a tributary to the Barapullah drain, had become inaccessible due to a beautification project covering it between 2009 and 2013. Engineers employed a "cut-skip-cut" method, opening 19 sections of the concrete cover to allow mechanical access for desilting.

During the process, an estimated 22,000 to 24,000 tonnes of silt and debris were removed using backhoe loaders, power shovels, and manual teams, with the material transported to the Okhla landfill. The openings were resealed with removable steel sheets to ensure future accessibility and prevent monsoon waterlogging. Despite being a stormwater drain, it receives sewage from Greater Kailash and surrounding areas, with ventilation shafts previously blocked by hazardous gases.

In a related development, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee revealed a significant deficit in sewage treatment, with approximately 88 million gallons per day, or 11% of the city's total sewage load, remaining untreated. While most sewage treatment plants meet norms, nine continue to fall short. The National Green Tribunal is monitoring pleas addressing sewage overflow into stormwater drains, which causes odor and recurrent waterlogging.