Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 2 Aug: In compliance to the Chief Minister’s instructions, the Dehradun District Administration is currently making sincere and concerted efforts to address the persistent problem of waterlogging in urban areas. Following directives issued by District Magistrate Savin Bansal, the Municipal Corporation area has been systematically divided into twelve zones, and three Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been constituted to keep constant vigilance over waterlogged sites. City Magistrate Pratyush Singh, along with Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) Harigiri and Kumkum Joshi, are also functioning as nodal officers for these teams, ensuring dedicated supervision of the initiative. Both human resources and machinery have been mobilised in waterlogged localities, in a manner similar to that deployed in landslide-prone stretches along the roads, in order to reduce reaction time and to facilitate speedy resolution of water accumulation.
The district administration has installed high-capacity de-watering pumps in several vulnerable locations, including Prince Chowk, Ballupur Chowk, Panditwari, Seemadwar, Cantt Area, IT Park, Sahastradhara Road, Pulia Number 6, the Rispan Catchment, Adhoiwala, Kanwali Road, Chandrabani, ISBT, Bengali Kothi, Banjarawala, and Arcadia Grant. The officials claim that these advanced pumps have proved their effectiveness in quickly draining water from affected areas during periods of heavy rainfall. For instance, when Prince Chowk recently experienced severe waterlogging, the Quick Response Team, working in close co-ordination with Smart City and PIU teams, utilised a de-watering pump. The high-pressure pump succeeded in eliminating the waterlogging within a matter of a few minutes, thereby resuming smooth movement of traffic without delay. Efficient use of the de-watering pump ensured the swift removal of accumulated water and contributed to the rapid mitigation of the problem at that critical junction.
As per the instructions of the DM, the QRTs continue to conduct daily patrols and inspections across major urban areas that are prone to waterlogging, with special focus during spells of heavy rain. During the recent downpour, QRT officials made thorough on-site assessments at key points such as Prince Chowk, Ballupur, Rispana Catchment, Chandrabani, ISBT, Banjarawala, and Arcadia Grant. At Prince Chowk specifically, immediate drainage was achieved with the deployment of the de-watering pump.
According to a QRT member and the Chief Municipal Health Officer, no significant waterlogging was detected in the other monitored localities, and traffic continued to move smoothly, despite the intensity of the rainfall. Seventeen high-speed de-watering pumps, supplied to seven different agencies by the district administration, are playing a crucial role in addressing the challenges of urban waterlogging. The district administration claims that these machines have enabled prompt resolution whenever water accumulates due to rainfall, demonstrating minimal response time. The DM has directed all the QRT nodal officers to maintain high alert and readiness with their teams throughout the monsoon season, and to initiate immediate corrective actions at the first signs of any drainage obstruction or blockage.
