New Delhi: Ahead of the monsoon, Delhi govt has zeroed in on 169 locations across the city where waterlogging occurred last year. In 2024, 165 such locations were identified. Of these, 30 spots are located along Ring Road, stated Delhi govt’s flood control order published recently.Nine underpasses have been flagged as particularly vulnerable, including Minto Bridge, Zakhira, Dwarka, Moolchand and Pul Prahlad Pur of Public Works Department and Ram Bagh underpass, Okhla, Sarita Vihar, Pandav Nagar underpasses under other departments.“To prevent flooding in these areas, PWD has installed temporary pump sets and issued a standard operating procedure for managing water accumulation, especially in underpasses,” the order said. A total of 445 waterlogging hotspots have been mapped based on the traffic police’s data from 2023, 2024 and 2025, and are currently under close monitoring, said officials.Among the spots in and around ITO, the authorities have identified spots close to Delhi Secretariat and Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium between gate no. 6 and 22. Among other areas are in front of PWD’s headquarter, near old police headquarter, Rajghat crossing, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, and near Indraprastha metro station.The Mathura road link to Pragati Maidan’s main tunnel near gate no. 6 and the entrance from Purana Qila Road have also been identified as a waterlogging hotspot by PWD.“In respect of the Yamuna, the first warning shall be issued by Central Flood Control Room as soon as the discharge from Hathni Kund Barrage exceeds 1 lakh cusec and Sector Control Rooms concerned will keep a vigil in their respective areas,” the order stated.To avoid urban flooding, govt plans to operate 11 regulator drains constructed as a flood control mechanism. For studying the flood situation in the Yamuna, Old Railway Bridge is identified as the reference to water level.For timely updates and monitoring, govt has also set up 16 flood control posts, including nine along the Yamuna. The department has also constructed eight embankments along the Yamuna.The flood control department has made provisions for assistance of Army in controlling flooding. Delhi may need about 15 Army boats for relief measures and it can also assist in evacuation and distribution of food supplies.The department has also identified lack of proper drainage systems within some unauthorised colonies causing flooding and suggested installation of pumps.The order has identified around 14 villages in Alipur, Wazirabad and Shahdara, which may get moderately exposed to flooding in case of high tides in the Yamuna.
