India, July 24 -- Delhi PWD and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Thursday inaugurated a permanent pump house at the Metcalf House Regulator, aimed at providing a long-term solution to recurring waterlogging in the Civil Lines area during periods of high Yamuna water levels. According to the Delhi government, whenever the Yamuna level rises, the Metcalf House Regulator is closed to prevent river water from flowing back into the drainage system. This also blocks the discharge of stormwater from the Civil Lines area, leading to water accumulation on roads, lanes and residential areas. Until now, temporary pumps were deployed every monsoon to address the problem.
Inaugurating the facility, Singh said the government has replaced the temporary arrangement with permanent infrastructure. "We have eliminated another major traffic and waterlogging problem in Delhi. Whenever the Yamuna water level rose and the Metcalf House Regulator had to be closed, stormwater from the Civil Lines area used to backflow and accumulate on roads, lanes and even affect homes. Every year, temporary pumps had to be deployed. That temporary arrangement has now been replaced with a permanent solution," he said. The newly constructed pump house has three 75 HP submersible pumps and one 35 HP submersible pump with a combined pumping capacity of around 2,500 kilolitres per hour. A 250 KVA diesel generator has also been installed to ensure uninterrupted operation during power outages, while an energy-efficient soft starter panel has been added for smoother functioning. The minister said the government is focusing on permanent infrastructure instead of temporary measures to address waterlogging and flood-related issues. "We are identifying vulnerable locations, strengthening drainage infrastructure and creating long-term solutions that can protect residents during heavy rainfall and rising Yamuna levels," Singh said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.