Delhi Waterlogging: Khattar Blasts Govt for Drainage Plan Failure

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) A day after the national capital experienced severe waterlogging, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday slammed the AAP government for not implementing the drainage master plan and asked it to take the necessary steps at the earliest.

The minister also stressed the importance of modern infrastructure and its regular upkeep, as urbanisation is rising at a high pace.

Replying to a short discussion on the working of his ministry in the Rajya Sabha, Khattar also asserted that urban problems cannot be resolved unless respective administrations take strict against those violating building bylaws.

"The national capital did not implement the drainage master plan. Had it implemented (the master plan) properly, the Delhi government and MCD would have succeeded in completing the desilting process," he added.

Khattar, who was Haryana Chief Minister for two consecutive terms, said that both the Delhi government and MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) should work towards the implementation of the master plan in the public interest.

Heavy rainfall unleashed chaos in Delhi on Wednesday evening, inundating large parts of the city, while key stretches were choked with unending traffic snarls, leaving people stranded for hours.

The minister highlighted the works done by the Modi government in the past for the betterment of the urban infrastructure in the country and moving towards achieving the goal of 'housing for all'.

He said one of the major decisions of the Modi 3.0 government is to build 3 crore more homes under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY).