Leaders indulge in blame game over flooding in Kotla Mubarakpur
Anshita Mehra
New Delhi, July 15
A day after massive flooding inundated Kotla Mubarakpur in the south-central part of New Delhi, the authorities and politicians engaged in a blame game, with no one ready to take responsibility for the situation on the ground.
As the rainy season progresses, the expected flooding of streets and roads poses a massive challenge to commuters. The lack of preventive measures to address overflooding and the peril of uncovered potholes, which become invisible hazards under waterlogged streets, remains a pressing concern.
Uncleaned drains responsible
The reason for the heavy flooding in the area is the uncleaned drains. While the Mayor issued orders on paper that the drains were being cleaned, the proper work was not being done. — Kusum Lata, MCD councillor from BJP
CPWD to blame
The Kotla Mubarakpur flooding that took place this weekend was due to most of sewage area of Kotla going through Sewa Nagar, where the main sewer line and manhole are located. The CPWD’s construction work for new flats in Sewa Nagar involved digging multiple lines, damaging several of our sewer lines. — Madan Lal, AAP MLA, Kasturba Nagar
The Tribune spoke to Kusum Lata, the MCD councillor of the area from the BJP, about the flooding that troubled both commuters and residents. Lata attributed the severe flooding to uncleaned drains. “The reason for the heavy flooding in the area is the uncleaned drains. While the Mayor issued orders on paper that the drains were being cleaned, the proper work was not being done, if any. The contractors responsible for cleaning the drains left the waste on the streets, which flowed back in with the rain, causing waterlogging and flooding,” she said.
However, Lata had no explanation for the recent weekend flooding. “I don’t know the reason for the flooding that took place during the weekend since I am not responsible for the sewers. I am not aware why the area was flooded,” she added.
Meanwhile, the local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Madan Lal of Kasturba Nagar, pointed the blame at the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and their construction activities. “The Kotla Mubarakpur flooding that took place this weekend was due to most of the sewage area of Kotla going through Sewa Nagar, where the main sewer line and manhole are located. The CPWD’s construction work for new flats in Sewa Nagar involved digging multiple lines, with the BSES installing cables in those lines for the flats, damaging several of our sewer lines. The major line responsible for sewage flow in Kotla was blocked. After the rain on June 28, the water remained at the place as the broken pipe could not handle the pressure,” Lal explained.
Lal further noted, “We were only recently informed by the market president about the BSES installing cables. After meeting ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, we began cleaning the area. We got the tender on Friday to place a new pipe, and the work only started yesterday.”
Despite the attempts by the authorities to assign blame, residents of Kotla Mubarakpur continue to suffer the consequences of waterlogging and flooding.
With the rise in flooding, the danger of encountering an uncovered manhole concealed beneath water also increases. The NCRB data reveals that Delhi reported 287 deaths from falling into pits, manholes and borewells in 2022, underscoring the significant hazards presented by these infrastructure problems.
As Delhi braces for more rain, the Kotla Mubarakpur flooding serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for infrastructure overhaul and effective governance. The common man continues to bear the brunt of political inaction, and it remains to be seen if the authorities will rise to the occasion and address the flooding issues head-on.
