Delhi weather update: Civic agencies on toes as IMD predicts heavy rains in capital over next few days

Two days after rains brought Delhi to a standstill, civic agencies are bracing for more downpours forecast over the next few days as they kept their field units on high alert and deployed additional manpower and machinery to address waterlogging and other complaints.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party government announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those who were killed in incidents of drowning after record rains on Friday, the day monsoon hit the city.

The weather department has forecast heavy rains till Tuesday. Civic agencies say they have plans in place to tackle excessive waterlogging: boosting manpower and equipment deployment, and keeping field units on high alert are among the steps they have taken.

The national capital was brought to its knees on Friday morning by 228.1 mm of rainfall on the first day of monsoon, the highest for the month of June since 1936. It submerged several parts of the city and claimed multiple lives.

In an official communication to the revenue department on Sunday, minister Atishi said it has been reported that there were "several deaths" due to drowning on June 28, after the extreme rainfall.

"It is hereby directed that the families of all those who lost their lives shall be provided a compensation of Rs 10 lakh." A six-year-old boy was killed when a portion of the terrace of an old building collapsed in the Harsh Vihar area of the national capital here on Sunday.

Police said the child was playing when the portion of the building collapsed and the child fell on the ground and sustained serious injuries.

According to the police, a case is being registered against the owner of the building, Ramji Lal, who is absconding after the incident.

An official in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said the civic body has ramped up manpower deployment to handle waterlogging complaints and is monitoring areas under Lutyens' Delhi through CCTV cameras.

On Friday, the upscale Lutyens' Delhi area witnessed a flood-like situation as water entered the bungalows of many MPs.

NDMC Vice-Chairman Satish Upadhyay said they have kept four additional pumps on a standby basis at Golf Links and Bharti Nagar which witnessed excessive waterlogging on Friday.

"Three super suction machines mounted on vehicles will keep patrolling the vulnerable areas. We have also deployed additional staff and cancelled the offs of all employees.

"Each vulnerable area has been placed under one superintending engineer who has staffers with them to address issues. The NDMC central command and control room will monitor all vulnerable areas through CCTV cameras," Upadhyay told PTI.

According to the NDMC, superintending engineers are now overseeing operations at vulnerable points to ensure timely interventions.

"We will ensure 24-hour monitoring through CCTV cameras. CCTV cameras are in place for continuous monitoring of vulnerable areas," another official said.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has put its field units on high alert to deal with any such situation. A senior official of the civic body said their central control room is functioning round the clock and claimed that the de-silting of drains has been completed.

Mobile pumps, super sucker machines, earth movers and other machines have been deployed at various locations where waterlogging was reported through dedicated 24x7 zonal control rooms of the MCD, the official said.

"In total, 72 permanent pumping stations are working as per requirement. Additionally, 465 mobile/submersible pumps of different capacities were made available to clear waterlogging. Manpower was adequately deployed also in tandem with machines for quick and sustained release of water," he said.

"As part of the monsoon action plan, all arrangements have been made and field units are put on high alert to tackle the situation," the official added.

According to PWD officials, all waterlogged spots except the Pragati Maidan Tunnel have been drained.