NEW DELHI: Slamming the “enormous confusion” and lack of accountability among civic bodies, the Delhi High Court on Monday called for urgent centralisation of flood and drainage management in the national capital.
The court said the multiplicity of agencies and unclear division of responsibilities have led to mismanagement, frequent flooding, and public suffering during monsoons.
A bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Manmeet P S Arora, while hearing two suo motu petitions on waterlogging, rainwater harvesting and traffic woes, pointed to the glaring coordination gap between agencies like the MCD and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
It noted that stormwater drains are under the MCD and sewage lines under the DJB, but “neither are being properly maintained,” with each agency blaming the other.
“In most colonies, stormwater drains are either clogged by construction or blocked by residents themselves, adding to the problem,” the court observed.
A fresh plea in the matter was filed by the Maharani Bagh Residents Welfare Association regarding flooding due to water entering from openings in a Ring Road wall. The PWD said the openings were pre-existing well marks that residents had earlier blocked.
The court noted that earlier, the road was under PWD but now falls under MCD jurisdiction — another example, it said, of administrative fragmentation and apathy.
“The residents’ petition highlights the governance vacuum caused by overlapping jurisdictions of multiple agencies,” the bench said, warning that if needed, it would summon top officials from MCD, DJB, PWD, DDA, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to ensure coordinated action.
It further directed that its order be placed before the Chief Secretary, who is to consult relevant officials and consider centralising management of civic services, especially flood control. If necessary, the matter should be escalated to the L-G, the court added.