New Delhi, 10 April (H.S.):

Delhi's Public Works Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh conducted an on-site review Friday of desilting operations at Delhi Gate and Barapulla drains, critical interventions ahead of the monsoon to avert urban flooding.

Posting on X, Singh revealed that the Delhi Gate drain obscured by silt for nearly four decades has now been excavated, with over 21,000 metric tons removed, surpassing 70% completion. At Barapulla, efforts stand at 78% with more than 31,000 metric tons cleared.

Across Delhi's 77 major drains, nearly 50% desilting is achieved, extracting upwards of 1.4 million metric tons toward a 2.8 million-ton target. Singh affirmed accelerated momentum citywide.

The inspection follows Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's Thursday review at Delhi Secretariat, mandating full desilting by June 30 with disposal at designated sites, underscoring coordinated resolve against seasonal deluge.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar