Delhi LG visits Kirari, gets upset over 'poor' civic conditions: Officials

New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Saturday visited the Kirari area and got "visibly peeved" at seeing overflowing sewers, open manholes, heaps of garbage, potholed-dusty roads in the area, according to Raj Niwas officials.

He visited the area in northwest Delhi, following "repeated requests" from local residents, and upon "receiving complaints of acute lack of sanitation and basic civic amenities," the officials said.

Starting from Bhagwan Mahavir Marg, the LG visited different locations in Kirari that are prone to severe waterlogging and filled with heaps of garbage, forcing the residents to live in "unhygienic living conditions", a senior official at the Raj Niwas said.

"Shocked and anguished over the hellish condition that residents of these areas are forced to live in, the LG directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and other agencies concerned to take immediate steps to improve sanitation in the area within a month," the official said.

Saxena was "visibly peeved at (seeing) overflowing sewers, open manholes, heaps of garbage, potholed-dusty roads and broken pavements in the area".

The LG lamented that such an "apathy on part of the government agencies had led to the pathetic conditions" due to which Kirari, which houses nearly 1.5 lakh households and a population of 7-8 lakh, has remained "one of the most underdeveloped parts of the national capital, according to the officials.

AAP MLA from Kirari, Rituraj Jha later in a statement said, "The Kirari Legislative Assembly constituency in Delhi comprises nearly 99 per cent unauthorised colonies. Despite being established on agricultural land, it is home to over 800,000 residents".

The AAP government has prioritised providing essential amenities such as sewage systems, water pipelines, and roads to ensure the well-being of the community, he said.

"The biggest sewage project in Delhi is ongoing in Kirari. Under this project, roads are being constructed with the installation of sewage lines in 5,000 roads at the same time. In 3,000 lanes the sewage lines have already been installed, in the remaining 2,000 lanes the work will be completed within a year. Three pumping stations are being built. The Delhi government has purchased lands for this from the DDA (Delhi Development Authority)," the AAP MLA said.

Jha said as soon as sewer lines become operational within the next three months, 70 per cent of the problems will be resolved. Additionally, the AAP government is developing a drainage system for all the main roads in the area, he said.

"Because of the absence of a drainage system, waterlogging is happening. As soon as the drainage system commences, there won't be any waterlogging," Jha said.

Saxena was informed that a major part of Kirari was low-lying and hence severely prone to waterlogging that forced people to live in "unhygienic conditions due to absence of sewerage system and lack of adequate storm water drainage system".

No concrete efforts had been undertaken by the DJB and I&FC Department to address these issues, the officials said.

Similarly, the PWD and MCD had "largely left the roads in disrepair", with the civic agency additionally "neglecting garbage disposal".

Also, a vast extent of nearly 500 acres of open DDA land surrounding Kirari was perennially filled with storm water as no proper drainage system exists in the area, they said.

As a result, water seeps from these land pockets into the adjoining low-lying residential colonies. The situation aggravates during monsoons and a large part of the area remains waterlogged for several days, the official said.

Saxena directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to expedite the construction of a 7.2 km drain that has been planned as a long-term solution to waterlogging in the area.

He also asked the DDA to chalk out a comprehensive drainage plan to ease out the drainage issues in Kirari. As of now, Kirari Suleman Nagar Drain (KSN drain) is the only major storm water drain in Kirari but that is "proving insufficient" to meet the drainage requirements, the officials said.

In addition to this, agencies including PWD, DJB and I&FC department were also directed to expedite the works of remodelling the KSN drain and other existing drains along the Rohtak Road to address the issue of waterlogging, they said.

The LG directed the agencies concerned -- I&FC department, MCD, PWD, DDA --and the railways to "work in tandem to overcome these perennial issues with long-term solutions", the officials said.

Saxena also asked the MCD and other departments to carry out a "massive sanitation drive" in the area starting Sunday to bring "a visible change within one month". The Delhi Jal Board was directed to lay and upgrade the sewerage network in Kirari at the earliest, they added.

Kirari has, over the years, become one of the most densely populated areas, spread over approximately 2,800 acres of geographical area. Prior to the urbanisation of the area, most parts of Kirari were used for brick kilns and due to the deep excavation of soil, the area has become a bowl.

In the due course, settlements and unauthorised colonies came up on the same surface level which made the area prone to severe waterlogging, the officials added.

The LG was accompanied by the Divisional Commissioner, CEO (DJB)/Principal Secretary (PWD), Principal Secretary (I&FC Department), Municipal Commissioner, the area's DM and DC and senior officials from the DDA.

Saxena, who has been receiving several representations from residents affected by lack of basic civic infrastructure and sanitation services in unauthorised colonies, will be visiting such areas to take stock of the situation on ground, and ensure inter-departmental and inter-agency coordination to find solutions, the senior official said. PTI