Delhi govt begins Rs 5 crore Munak Canal desilting drive to pave way for riverfront and elevated corridor
The Delhi government has launched a Rs 5.06 crore cleaning and desilting drive along a 25 km stretch of the Munak Canal to prepare for a riverfront corridor and an elevated road project. Nearly 48,782 metric tonnes of waste will be removed in three months.
The Delhi government's Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department has started a major desilting and cleaning operation along the Munak Canal, Hindustan Times reported on Thursday. As per details, the Rs 5.06 crore project will cover a 25 km stretch from the Haiderpur water treatment plant to the Inderlok Metro station, where the canal meets the Najafgarh Drain. According to officials, the work involves the removal of construction debris, garbage, municipal waste and silt from both sides of the canal. "The exercise is aimed at preparing the stretch for future development by the Public Works Department (PWD)," which plans to create a riverfront corridor in the area. The remodelling of the drain will start now, with a larger objective of flood control," Hindustan Times quoted an official as saying. Nearly 48,782 metric tonnes of waste and silt are expected to be cleared and transported to authorised landfills within 25 km. The project is to be completed in three months.
From flood control to beautification
The drive is expected to improve flood management while also preparing the ground for a major riverfront development. The proposed corridor will include open spaces, landscaping and public-friendly facilities. It will be designed to complement the elevated road project announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta earlier.
Riverfront and elevated corridor plans
It is to be noted here that the Delhi government has big plans for the Munak Canal stretch. It aims to cover parts of the canal with solar panels and construct a 20 km elevated road above it, easing traffic congestion in Outer Delhi. In April this year, Chief Minister Gupta had personally inspected the canal and directed officials to speed up cleaning works, lay roads on both sides and prepare an action plan for water conservation and purification. Alongside the elevated road, the government envisions parks, walkways and recreational spaces. The elevated corridor, estimated at Rs 3,000 crore, will connect Inderlok to Bawana in northwest Delhi.
Key water lifeline of the capital
Stretching 102 km across Haryana and Delhi, the Munak Canal plays a vital role in ensuring water supply to the capital. It was originally constructed to reduce water loss in the Western Yamuna Canal and to streamline water transport to Delhi. The Munak Canal supplies more than 1,000 cusecs of water to Delhi every day through its two branches -- the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and the Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB). Out of its total 102 km stretch, 85 km falls in Haryana while the remaining 17 km passes through Delhi.
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