Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on Friday said the BJP government has done substantial work on fixing the drains and other waterlogging spots in the city ahead of the monsoon season.
“The monsoon is welcome in Delhi. Earlier, people used to say it is better if it does not rain in Delhi… but our government welcomes the monsoon. We will show that over the last four months, the government has worked on the drains.”
He informed that the government has worked on Minto Bridge, ITO, and other such places that were prone to water logging.
According to Verma, the concerned departments are working day and night on the identified water logging spots as per the goals set by the government in this regard which included short term, mid- term and long term plans.
He informed that as part of the short term plans, the works that were identified and started have been completed which included work on the majority of the water-logging spots.
However, Verma also informed that at some places where the construction of big drains is taking place, that may take around a year, and some projects will take another four to five months for completion.
Verma assured that now the work of making the city better in all aspects will keep going on, and during the next rainy season, the capital will appear much better than it is at the moment.
He reiterated that although the kind of water-logging that used to happen at Minto Bridge, where buses would get submerged, or the water-logging seen at ITO, will no longer be seen.
The minister also informed that the government has worked tirelessly and most of the drains of the city have been cleaned which include big and small drains.
Meanwhile, in a step aimed at protecting Delhi’s frontline workers from extreme hot weather, minister Verma launched the pilot of ‘Cool Vest Jacket’ Initiative, to provide a tangible, immediate solution.
He mentioned that those who stand under the open sky are the real backbone of the city, and the gear being given to them is like a promise to care for them, as they care for Delhi every day.
The key Features of the Cool Vest Jacket is that it has a battery-operated dual fan unit for cooling, and is also equipped with an ice collar technology that lowers surface body temperature by up to 15°C.
The lightweight, water- and abrasion-resistant fabric is suitable for long duty hours, and its unisex design ensures wide usability across departments.
The initiative is being implemented by ADRA India, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).