NDMC to start pilot to desilt drain using drones and robotics

New Delhi: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will soon start work on a pilot project of desilting a 200-metre drain near the petrol pump and Dayal Singh College section.
The work will begin with a drone survey and robotic equipment will be used for cleaning the silt.
"The place is covered and can't be accessed through machinery properly, which is why it becomes difficult to estimate or assess the amount of silt deposited there. There will be no manual intervention in cleaning process. We have decided to engage an expert agency for implementing the task through robotic and super-sucker machines," said the official.
"We have invited a tender for de-silting this brick barrel drain at the downstream, measuring 200 metres. The date of opening the tender is March 24, after which work will be completed before the monsoon on June 30," said vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal. He added that the project is estimated to cost Rs 1.7 crore. The technique is being adopted for this project based on results at other places.
Officials have said that the drainage system's outfall enters the Sunheri Nullah at this location, which saw severe flooding, prompting multiple agencies, including MCD, to take up cleaning after an intervention by LG VK Saxena and former chief secretary Naresh Kumar last year.
During the last monsoon, a section of the Bharti Nagar boundary wall collapsed due to waterlogging. Rainwater entered the Golf Links area. To ensure the situation does not recur, NDMC increased the number of de-watering pumps and took other measures.
NDMC has requested Delhi Technical University to conduct a technical assessment of its proposal to install four permanent pump sets, each with 100HP capacity, close to this site to prevent waterlogging, an official said.
At other places, work for desilting is in progress using mechanical equipment. The council has also positioned dewatering pumps in flood-prone areas and strengthened coordination with CPWD, PWD, IFC, NBCC and the railways to prevent waterlogging in critical zones. A comprehensive SOP has been prepared to ensure coordinated pre-monsoon and monsoon response.
NDMC has also identified 27 vulnerable waterlogging points, including Purana Quila Road, Golf Links, Lodhi Colony, Africa Avenue, AIIMS flyover, BKS Marg, Connaught Place and Vinay Marg, where rainwater harvesting systems will be installed.