With an aim to ensure that the city remains free from waterlogging during the upcoming monsoon season, Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) Commissioner Saloni Sharma conducted an extensive field inspection of major storm water drains, drainage channels and disposal pumping stations across the city on Saturday.
Accompanied by officials from the Engineering and Sanitation wings, she spent nearly three hours reviewing the progress of desilting and cleaning works at key locations.
Earlier, Sharma chaired a review meeting at the KMC office, where she sought detailed updates from Executive Engineers regarding drain-cleaning operations in their respective divisions. Officials informed her that nearly 80 per cent of the cleaning work on the city’s major drains had already been completed, while the remaining work was progressing at a rapid pace.
During the inspection, the Municipal Commissioner visited around 15 key locations, including the drain connecting Model Town to the Mughal Canal, Maharaja Agrasen Chowk, ITI Chowk, Budhakhera, Uchani, Baldi, SP Colony, drain number-1, Karna Canal (Mughal Canal) phases I, II and III, Jaton Gate, Chand Sarai and the drain leading from Hansi Chowk towards Bagwadiya Gas Agency. She reviewed the ongoing cleaning work and assessed the preparedness of the civic body ahead of the rainy season.
Sharma directed officials to complete the cleaning of all major storm water drains by June 30 and instructed that smaller drains and roadside drains should also be cleaned on priority. She emphasised that the silt removed from drains should not be left on the roadside for long and must be lifted immediately to prevent it from flowing back into the drains or causing inconvenience to commuters.
To ensure uninterrupted drainage during heavy rainfall, the Commissioner directed that all disposal pumping stations remain fully operational at all times. She instructed officials to ensure adequate manpower, backup generators and all necessary resources at every pumping station so that water drainage is not affected in case of power outages or technical issues. She also directed Executive Engineers to conduct random site inspections, while Junior Engineers were asked to monitor the cleaning work daily and submit regular progress reports.
During her visit at the Ram Nagar drain, Sharma instructed the executing agency to immediately increase the number of workers so that the remaining cleaning work could be completed within the stipulated deadline. Of around 4.5-kilometre-long drain stretching from Kachwa Road to Meera Ghati pumping station, nearly 3 kilometres have already been cleaned.
She also directed officials to replace damaged or broken drain slabs without delay to prevent garbage and construction debris from entering the drainage system and obstructing the flow of rainwater.
Sharma urged citizens not to dump garbage, plastic waste, construction material or any other waste into drains or sewer channels.
