4 min readNew DelhiJul 9, 2026 09:13 PM IST
In the wake of heavy rainfall lashing the Capital on Thursday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Sahib Singh hit the ground to inspect the drainage management and arrangements put in place to clear out waterlogging, officials said.
The department received around 40 complaint calls related to waterlogging, PWD officials said, adding that in the last 48 hours, nearly 120 public calls were received and attended to on priority.
In most cases, waterlogging was cleared within 15 to 30 minutes, depending on rainfall intensity and site conditions, an official said.
“In comparison to previous years, the complaint calls were relatively less. Usually, we get over 100 calls in a day even if it rains for few hours but this time it was less…..strict orders and monsoon preparedness is in place and all the leaves of engineers have also been cancelled…everyone has been put on alert and on ground to tackle the situation on ground,” said a senior official.
CM Gupta inspected the drainage arrangements in Shalimar Village in her assembly constituency and directed officials to ensure proper water drainage.
Meanwhile, the PWD minister visited and reviewed the waterlogging situation from the 24×7 PWD Monsoon Control Room, where he monitored live CCTV feeds, assessed field operations, and directed officials to maintain maximum preparedness across Delhi, the official added.
The minister said more than 100 mm of rainfall was recorded in several parts of Delhi over the last 24 hours, yet waterprone locations like Minto Bridge, Zakhira, Dhaula Kuan and Moolchand did not face any major traffic disruptions despite heavy rainfall.
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“This has been possible because of months of preparation and the tireless efforts of our engineers, field staff and emergency teams…Our work continues round the clock. Every complaint is monitored in real time, every vulnerable location is under surveillance, and our teams are fully prepared to respond immediately wherever required,” Singh said.
According to officials, Ring Road stretch, ISBT, Tilak Marg, Indraprasth Estate and others which faced flooding in 2023 and 2024 did not get waterlogged on Thursday.
When asked about the city recording relatively less instances of waterlogging in comparison to previous years, PWD officials explained that this was owing to a comprehensive monsoon plan in place by the department. Moreover, all the complaints received concerning waterlogging are immediately forwarded to the concerned Executive Engineer, Assistant Engineer (Field) and field staff for prompt action, an official said.
Singh also reviewed the functioning of the integrated control system that continuously tracks vulnerable locations across the city and coordinates rapid response by field teams. During the review, officials informed Singh the PWD has identified 45 waterlogging-prone locations, including major underpasses, all of which are under continuous surveillance through 179 CCTV cameras connected to the central Control Room.
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“To strengthen on-ground preparedness, the department has deployed 754 permanent pumps at 167 locations and 305 temporary pumps at 273 locations across the city. Engineering teams, pumps, machinery and emergency staff remain on standby throughout the monsoon season to ensure immediate intervention wherever required,” said a PWD official.
The Minister also reviewed the public grievance redressal mechanism. The dedicated 24×7 Monsoon Control Room is staffed round the clock with Assistant Engineers who monitor complaints received through multiple channels.
“Also, many parts of Delhi recorded an average rainfall of approximately 100 mm in the last 24 hrs while several areas experienced significantly heavier spells,” said an official.
Taking a dig at the previous AAP government, the minister said that there was a time when Delhiites would worry every time it rained because waterlogging resulted in blocked roads, stranded vehicles and hours of inconvenience.
