Delhi L-G inspects progress of Airport Drain project

New Delhi, Feb 18 Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena on Saturday inspected the progress of work on the ongoing Airport Drain project aiming at eliminating flooding and waterlogging in and around the IGI Airport and the adjacent Dwarka area during the monsoon season.

The project will also ensure hassle-free movement of delegates and dignitaries visiting the national capital during the monsoon months for the G-20 Summit this year.

This major drainage project that would channelise the rain and storm water discharge from the IGI Airport to Najafgarh Drain, is being executed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and is expected to be completed by June this year.

The L-G inspected the construction site of the culvert beneath the railway track and the site at Dwarka Sector 8 and directed the officials to enhance the manpower and other resources to complete the work at the earliest.

The existing two drains at the IGI Airport have proven insufficient for discharging the huge amount of rain water from the airport which has often resulted in severe waterlogging in and around the IGI Airport during heavy rains and thus causing disruption and cancellation of flights for several days, major inconvenience to passengers.

Heavy waterlogging even forced the closure of the IGI Airport on several occasions.

The DDA is creating 5 water bodies in the Dwarka region that will be used for storing the overflowing rain water during the monsoons.

Saxena, on the occasion, said the construction of the airport drain along with the creation of water bodies will be a big relief for the air travellers and the local residents of Dwarka.

He said that during the monsoon, the overflowing water from the airport as well as from the streets of Dwarka could be channelised to these water bodies.

The airport drain will be capable of discharging 70 CuM of water per second during the peak rains.

The drain would start from inside the IGI Airport premises, pass beneath the railway tracks though a broadened culvert adjoining the airport boundary in Dwarka Sector-8 and would connect to DDA's Trunk Drain-2 (TD-2) that would further channelise the rain water to Najafgarh Drain.

The airport drain will be 20 meters wide and will have a depth of 2 meters.