TIT Correspondent
info@impressivetimes.com
New Delhi, July 2: In a major step towards transforming civic infrastructure in neglected parts of Delhi, the Flood and Irrigation Department has successfully completed a high-priority drainage project in Aya Nagar village, South Delhi. This initiative has resolved the chronic issue of water logging on the village’s main Sunday Market Road—one of the worst-affected areas during every monsoon.
The project is now fully functional and the entire drainage system, including the RCC box drain and 1000 mm diameter outfall pipelines, is operational. With this, the decades-old problem of rainwater stagnation and flooding in Aya Nagar stands resolved, ahead of the ongoing monsoon season.
Aya Nagar, located in Chhattarpur Assembly constituency along the Mehrauli-Gurugram Road, is the last village in Delhi’s southern fringe. The village sits on undulating Aravali terrain, and for years, faced serious water logging problems due to unregulated and rapid urban growth. Earlier, the natural stormwater from the higher reaches of the village used to drain into ravines. But unplanned construction and encroachments have blocked those natural courses, leaving the arterial Sunday Market Road submerged even after moderate rains.
This persistent flooding not only disrupted traffic and access to the market, but also severely affected local businesses, residential colonies, and school-going children. The lack of proper drainage had turned daily life into a struggle for thousands of residents.
To address the issue comprehensively, the Irrigation & Flood Control Department prepared a technically robust and sustainable drainage plan. The key components included:
•Construction of an RCC box culvert drain along one side of the Sunday Market Road.
•Laying of 1000 mm diameter pipelines to channel the stormwater into nearby forest ravines, restoring the outfall route.
The implementation, however, was far from easy. The only viable alignment for the outfall pipeline passed through the narrow, congested lanes of the unauthorized colony in Aya Nagar. This posed significant challenges for movement of heavy machinery and excavation equipment. Additionally, the area was riddled with overlapping underground and overhead utilities—such as IGL gas pipelines, BSES power lines, DJB water lines, and telecom cables.
Despite these hurdles, engineers and field teams worked day and night, executed deep excavations up to 18 feet with utmost care and safety. Special steel girders and MS plates were used for confined trenching to prevent soil slippage and protect nearby homes and public infrastructure.
“Resolving the drainage crisis in Aya Nagar was not just an engineering mission—it was a commitment to give relief and dignity to a population that had been ignored for years. This is a symbol of the change we are bringing across Delhi: where the toughest problems are tackled head-on, not postponed,”
said Parvesh Sahib Singh, Delhi’s Minister for Flood, Irrigation, and PWD.
With the new drainage system now operational, the Sunday Market Road is expected to remain dry and accessible throughout the rainy season. This comes as a huge relief for both residents and vendors of the bustling weekly market, which supports the local economy and serves thousands of households in the region.
“People had accepted flooding here as their fate. Today, with this permanent solution in place, they will finally experience a monsoon without fear. Our goal is not temporary relief, but durable transformation,”
added Parvesh Sahib Singh.
The successful completion of this project reflects the Delhi government’s focus on long-pending civic issues in peripheral and semi-urban areas. It also sets a template for similar interventions across flood-prone zones of the capital.
The Irrigation & Flood Control Department has assured regular monitoring of the drainage performance during the current monsoon, and local engineers have been placed on alert to ensure seamless operations.
The Impressive Times
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