New Delhi, July 20: A crucial meeting was held on Monday by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to review preparations for managing urban flooding and waterlogging during the monsoon season. The meeting was co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. They assessed the readiness to tackle heavy rainfall, the urban flood prevention plan, and the progress of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) formation.
Present at the meeting were ministers Pravesh Verma and Ashish Sood, along with senior officials from various departments including the Chief Secretary, Special Police Commissioner (Traffic), Additional Chief Secretary (Irrigation and Flood Control), MCD Commissioner, DDA Vice Chairman, and others from the Public Works Department, Transport, Home, Fire Services, and related sectors.
During the discussions, both the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister acknowledged significant improvements in waterlogging situations compared to 2024 and 2025. However, they noted the meteorological department’s warning of sudden heavy rains, urging all departments to work with utmost vigilance to minimize or eliminate waterlogging.
Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu emphasized that any negligence regarding waterlogging and urban flooding issues would not be tolerated. He warned officials that accountability would be enforced if any shortcomings in preparations were identified. He also stressed the effective implementation of the drainage master plan for long-term solutions.
According to the data presented during the review, the number of flood-prone areas in the capital decreased from 194 in 2024 to 169 in 2025, and further down to just 34 in 2026 so far. Officials reported that only eight locations continued to experience flooding issues between 2025 and 2026.
The review highlighted that the MCD, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, NDMC, and DDA have fully achieved their goals for desilting drains. The PWD has completed nearly 95% of its work, while the Delhi Jal Board has finished 85.5% of trunk sewer line desilting, 91.1% of peripheral sewer lines, and 90.16% of branch sewer lines.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta instructed that the removed silt should be promptly cleared, and no drain, sewer line, or manhole should be left open. The government maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards accidents caused by such negligence. The meeting also emphasized the need to identify and remove hazardous trees that may fall during storms.
At the end of the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister directed all departments to keep mobile heavy-duty pumps ready at all times, respond immediately to waterlogging complaints, maintain continuous ground-level monitoring, and improve coordination with neighboring states. They also stressed the need to activate the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at full capacity soon.
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