Old sewer line to help drainage in Delhi

Senior officials said once restoration is completed, the line would help reduce pressure on existing sewer network in city and resolve frequent choking of sewer lines to some extent in the area.
Clouds loom over Raisina Hills in New Delhi. (Photo | Arun Kumar, EPS)
Clouds loom over Raisina Hills in New Delhi. (Photo | Arun Kumar, EPS)

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has started restoring an old sewer trunk line — probably laid during the British rule — that runs under the southern carriageway in Chandni Chowk. 

Senior officials said once it is completed, the line would help to reduce pressure on the existing sewer network in the Walled City and resolve frequent choking of sewer lines to some extent in the area.  

The diameter of the underground drain from the Red Fort crossing to Fatehpuri Masjid, made of lakhori brick and lime mortar, ranges between 3.7 and 5.5 feet.  “Almost one-fourth part of the line from Fatehpuri to Ballimaran has been restored. Its dimension is larger than what we expected.

The height of the channel is about 7 feet. A chemical coating is being done to conserve and repair cracks, which is likely to enhance its life further for about 50-60 years,” said an official.

The rehabilitation of sewer line is a part of the ongoing Chandni Chowk redevelopment project for which the fund is being provided by the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC).  

According to officials associated with the project, the line was almost blocked when the work was started three-four months ago.

“The line was alive but more or less chocked with sediment. The extent of blockage can be gauged from the fact that silt removed from a three-metre patch was enough to load a truck,” said the official.    

The Public Works Department (PWD) has already decided to build a separate stormwater drain network for diverting rainwater to the Yamuna in order to check waterlogging in the Walled City.

The North MCD, the PWD and the Delhi Jal Board were tasked with preparing the plan for the drainage network for roads and streets in Shahjahanabad. 

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