In the run-up to the G20 Summit in September 2023, Delhi rolled out the red carpet for visiting dignitaries — roads were relaid, new fountains in all shapes and sizes were built, and street art adorned the walls. As part of the transformation of the city, a portion of Pragati Maidan’s Bhairon Drain near the Summit venue — Bharat Mandapam — received a quiet makeover.
Under the supervision of the Delhi L-G and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), a 240-metre section of the drain was given a ‘canal-like’ appearance. Beautified at a total cost of Rs 2.46 crore, the work was done in three phases.
When The Indian Express visited the site on April 8, it bore a scant resemblance to its spruced-up version. Decorative rocks, once meticulously laid in a mosaic pattern along the sides, are now barely visible under wild overgrowth. Tall, unkempt plants have sprung from the gaps between the stones, concealing much of the design.
Floating atop the now-stagnant water is a familiar sight — plastic packaging, used tarpaulin sheets, bottles, old rugs, and moss. The water, tinged a murky green, carries a foul odour, a reminder that the Bhairon drain is back to its old self. Piles of silt — dried and crusted from the last desilting exercise — remain heaped along the drain’s boundaries.
Despite multiple attempts to seek a response on the last date when desilting and cleanliness initiatives were carried out in the canal, no response was received from the Director of Press and Information, MCD, Sumit Kumar.
“The MCD cleans drains in its two-yearly desilting cycles. The drain had been cleared in the post-monsoon desilting cycle… no special desilting arrangement can be made for the beautified area of the drain,” an MCD official said.
The transformation had involved extensive efforts. The stretch of the drain was cleared using machinery, which was followed by manual cleaning by sanitation staff to ensure the drain water appears clean for the high-level diplomatic meeting. Overgrowth was cleared, decorative rocks were laid, potted plants were positioned for aesthetic appeal, fish were seen swimming and a selfie point was installed.
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To be sure, the deterioration had started much earlier — 20 days after the Summit, during a spot visit, The Indian Express found that the plants that once lined the canal were either missing or had withered from neglect. Silt had started to build up once again, causing a barrier in the water flow.
The Bhairon Marg drain — which begins on this road and flows toward Gautam Buddha Nagar in UP before merging with the Yamuna River — has long been a troublesome spot, especially during rough monsoon spells. Infamous for its traffic snarls, the lack of regular desilting of the drain has, in many instances, led to heavy waterlogging on this corridor.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd