Find Immediate Solution To Basement Flooding In South Delhi: High Court

Taking note of flooding of basements in Greater Kailash-II, the Delhi High Court has directed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation to find an immediate solution keeping in mind the need to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Justice Najmi Waziri said the residents of the area have been suffering from inundation by water in their basements, for which solution has to be found primarily by the municipal corporation.

"As far as citizens are concerned, they have to approach only one agency for their civic amenities -- the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Therefore, it is for the Corporation to find a solution itself or by coordination with other agencies," the court said.

The High Court directed the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control and Public Works Department of Delhi government to initiate appropriate measures.

"Let it be ensured that the flow of rainwater in the stormwater drains is unhindered by any material. Necessary cleaning, etc. shall be conducted within a week. Compliance affidavit in this regard be filed before the next date," it said.

The High Court said that a solution has to be found right away especially, "keeping mind the need to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases, in the already fearful atmosphere of the dreadful pandemic".

It said that while long-term measures may take time, the petitioners need immediate relief and succour and directed the corporation to put in place measures right away by way of additional water suction pumps and temporary drainage measures so that the difficulty of the petitioners and residents of the area is ameliorated to some extent.

"Let compliance affidavit, along with photographs be filed by the corporation within two weeks, apropos the measures taken by the installation of underground pipes to drain out water," the judge said.

The High Court issued notices to South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Jal Board and Delhi Metro and posted the matter for next hearing on October 1.

Advocate Puja Kalra, appearing for the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, submitted that a study was conducted by Central Ground Water Board which has observed that the matter has got compounded by the ongoing construction of the Metro-line.

She told the court that the corporation has installed three water-pumps to drain out the water on a regular basis.

Advocates Shaan Mohan and Tushar Gupta contended that the steps taken by the corporation is rather starkly inadequate because the inundation continues all the time, the basements are full of water, seepage and damage to the building go on insidiously.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation opposed the submission and said there is no ongoing construction and the Metro-line commissioned way back in 2018 and in any case Metro construction is roughly 15 metres deep from the surface level.

The High Court was hearing a plea by residents Sadhana Mohan and others aggrieved by water accumulating in the basements of their properties and in the neighbourhood due to lack of drainage through the system installed.

In their plea, the residents said that the water level rises from about 1.5 feet to 4 feet, rendering the properties unusable, damage them extensively and causing immense difficulties to the occupants/owners of the buildings.

It also poses threat to the life and limb of the occupants, as it may cause electrical short-circuit because of extensive water seepage in the walls, the plea said.