Cleaning lags, choked drains cause flooding on roads in Sector 5 after showers
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According to residents, work to clean a 7.5km drain network was previously awarded through a Rs 16 lakh tender, but the cleaning only began in late June and is being poorly executed.
Dinesh Vashisth, former RWA president of the sector, noted that the situation is especially bad near the Sector 5 police station. "There are stormwater drains on both sides of the road. Only surface-level cleaning was done—soil was removed from pipe inlets and barely a foot of silt was cleared from inside, while the rest of the drain remains clogged," he said.
Vashishth added, "Rainwater now accumulates on the roads, creating serious trouble for residents. Vehicles struggle to pass, and roads are deteriorating due to stagnant water. The monsoon has already started, and there is no sign that the drains will be cleaned in time. The govt is wasting public money and ignoring public concerns. What's the point of development work if they aren't completed on time or don't serve their purpose?"
Residents claim that the civic body failed to act before the monsoon arrived, and the work currently underway appears rushed and superficial.
MG Yadav, another resident, echoed this sentiment, saying, "The drain cleaning work did start, but it wasn't done properly. The silt inside the drains hasn't been removed. Worse, the muck that was taken out was left on the roadside and footpaths, and has now washed back into the drains. Water has no place to go and ends up flooding the streets. We've raised complaints before but there's been no proper response."
When contacted, an MCG official said, "The work started on June 22. We are prioritising the cleaning of drain openings and pits considering the ongoing rains. The agency has deployed tractors and is dumping the collected silt. A jetting machine will be used to clear the pipelines. While the timeline is Sept, we are aiming to finish by July-end."
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