New Delhi (India), March 16: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, along with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and PWD Minister Parvesh Verma, conducted an inspection of the Barapulla drain near the Yamuna River at Barapulla Bridge on Sunday.
Following the inspection, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta addressed reporters, highlighting the negligence of previous governments regarding the city’s drainage systems. She stated that the drains had never been cleaned properly and there was confusion among agencies about who should take responsibility for their upkeep. “These are the drains that were never taken seriously by the previous governments. The drains were never cleaned. There was no clarity among the agencies as to which agency would clean them… We have given the responsibility of desilting to the irrigation and flood control department,” she said.
Gupta further emphasized that the government is working at a rapid pace to ensure there is no waterlogging during the upcoming rainy season. She assured the public that efforts are underway to tackle the situation effectively. “We have to ensure that there is no waterlogging during the rainy season…The work is being done on a war footing…We will ask the MLAs in writing about the works being done regarding the desilting of drains and sewage,” she added.
In a separate engagement on Saturday, Rekha Gupta held a meeting with farmers to gather their suggestions for the upcoming Delhi budget for 2025-26. Gupta shared that the farmers had high expectations from the new government and emphasized that both the Delhi and Central governments, as a “double-engine government,” would collaborate to address the issues faced by farmers.
“We called the farmers from every corner of Delhi to consult about the budget. They have shared their suggestions with us,” Gupta noted. She also highlighted the lack of development in Delhi’s villages over the past 15-20 years, which has led to increased expectations from the newly formed government. “They are now having a lot of hope from the new Delhi government. I assure them that all the problems they have put before us will be solved. Today, there is a double-engine government. The Central and Delhi governments together will solve every problem of the farmers,” she assured.