The flooding of runways, terminals and surroundings of the premier Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport that made headlines and caused global embarrassment for the nation’s capital can now get addressed as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is going to start upgrading the drainage system.
An official from DDA said that the upgrading and enhancing the drainage system is finally being started by DDA to address the problems of flooding at IGI and other adjoining sectors of Dwarka.
The source further said that the inordinate delays of more than two years by the Environment and Forest Department, headed by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, had withheld works and tenders amounting to Rs 69.72 crore, which had been awarded by the DDA way back in February 2020.
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After completion of survey and other ground exercises, the DDA moved for permission of tree translocation and related afforestation on November 2, 2020. However, despite the DDA fulfilling all requisite formalities that include financial compensation as well as providing land for compensatory afforestation, the Environment and Forest Department headed by Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai kept sitting on the application for granting permission for works to be commenced on this critical project of national importance, the source added.
However, DDA source also said that after not getting positive response from the Delhi Chief Minister, the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) directed DDA to move a writ petition in the High Court seeking a direction to the Department of Environment, to grant permission for the project.
It thereafter took a favourable judgment by the Delhi High Court in a writ petition filed by DDA for grant of permission by Department of Environment, GNCTD, on July 26, 2022, along with constant nudging by the L-G, for the permissions to be finally granted on August 1, 2022.
The L-G, who had visited the location on many occasions, instructed accompanying officials to undertake the completion of drainage works that entails modifications in the storm-water drain at Sector-8, Dwarka, which caters to the discharge from the airport in a mission mode, DDA official said.
As per the source, L-G directed accompanying senior officials to complete work well within time so that problems of flooding do not take place at the airport as well as in the affected residential sectors of Dwarka in the next monsoon season.
This delay of two years due to permission not being granted by the Department of Environment has resulted in huge cost overruns in the project, apart from causing severe hardships to the residents of affected areas.
The official also added that the DDA is contemplating moving to an appropriate court or forum seeking compensation from the Delhi government for the cost overruns that the project has suffered due to non-grant of timely permission.
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