Following the severe flooding in the national capital last year, which submerged areas around the Yamuna floodplains and forced many residents to leave their homes, the Delhi government is preparing for the upcoming monsoon season. Delhi’s Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, conducted an on-site inspection of the ITO Barrage to assess the readiness for potential floods along the Yamuna River. This proactive measure aims to prevent a repeat of last year’s widespread waterlogging and distress to the residents of the capital.
The minister, accompanied by officials, reviewed the ongoing efforts that have been underway for the past three months to ensure the city is well-prepared to handle the monsoon’s challenges. Bharadwaj emphasized that to prevent water accumulation in the Yamuna and avoid a flood situation, a new experiment has been conducted by the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department for the first time. This experiment is called the “Pilot Cut”, under this experiment, small channels are dug from the accumulated soil in front of the barrage extending far beyond.
During this process, small islands of soil are formed between the artificial channels created in the Yamuna. “When rainwater is released from Haryana, it will flow swiftly through these artificial channels, carrying with it the small soil islands, thereby eliminating any possibility of water stagnation and allowing the water to flow swiftly ahead. This procedure ensures that there will be no likelihood of water accumulating in the Yamuna, terminating all potential flood scenarios due to unhindered water flow,” he added
“The preparations are such that even if the water level reaches the same height as last year, there will be no flooding in the Yamuna,” assured Bharadwaj. He also highlighted the repair and testing of all regulators that were damaged in the previous year’s floods, reinforcing the city’s defenses against similar incidents.