Ahead of monsoon, LG reviews rainwater harvesting; sets repair deadline

New Delhi: With the monsoon approaching, lieutenant governor TS Sandhu has directed civic agencies to fast-track pending repairs and ensure all rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures are fully operational.At a review meeting attended by officials from the MCD, NDMC and DDA, the LG set the last week of June as the deadline for completing desilting, repairs and maintenance of rooftop pipelines, perforated gratings, collection chambers and recharge pits.Emphasising long-term water conservation, Sandhu asked agencies to assess the total installed capacity of RWH infrastructure across the city and create a comprehensive database to aid groundwater recharge and urban planning. He also urged departments to adopt advanced water conservation technologies.DDA informed the LG that 621 of its 624 rainwater harvesting structures are currently functional. Cleaning has been completed at 587 sites, while maintenance is underway at the remaining 34.To augment groundwater recharge, DDA is constructing 24 new RWH pits at key locations, including Bhikaji Cama Place multi-level parking, Vikas Sadan and sports complexes in Saket, Commonwealth Games Village, Chilla, Yamuna, Poorvi Delhi, Netaji Subhash and Dwarka Sector 23. Installations are also being built along the Palam-Dwarka flyover.MCD reported that maintenance and operational checks have been completed at 1,277 of its 1,289 rooftop RWH sites across 12 zones, with corrective work underway at the remaining 12 locations. Of its 400 groundwater recharge pits, 199 have been cleaned so far, with the rest to be completed by the end of June.In a technological push, MCD has installed automated digital level indicator piezometers on a pilot basis at three locations — a primary school in Punjabi Bagh, Turkman Gate Road and another school in the DDA LIG Flats complex in Shahdara North — to monitor groundwater levels.NDMC said that out of its 340 existing and planned RWH structures, 290 have been cleaned and made operational. The remaining 50 — including 28 modular systems and 22 conventional pits — are expected to be completed by June 25.“NDMC has constructed 61 modular RWH pits in 2025-26, each with a capacity of 30,000 litres. Built using recycled polypropylene blocks wrapped in geotextile fabric, these structures require less space. New facilities have been developed in consultation with the Central Ground Water Board, focusing on areas witnessing declining groundwater levels, including North Avenue, South Avenue, Shanti Path, Satya Marg and Sarojini Nagar,” said officials.