New Delhi: Lieutenant governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday chaired a meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), which was attended by chief minister Rekha Gupta, during which an in-principle approval was given to Delhi Urban Flood Mitigation Plan with a proposed outlay of Rs 21,000 crore. The meeting, atte+nded by senior govt officials, including chief secretary Rajeev Verma, focused on strengthening drainage infrastructure, desilting major drains, constructing stormwater channels, and deploying real-time flood monitoring systems. The chief minister stressed on timely implementation before the monsoon.
Govt took the key decisions of establishing an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and an Integrated Command and Control Centre that will serve as the nerve centre for disaster management. These facilities will enable real-time coordination, AI- and satellite-based predictive analytics, and faster response during floods, earthquakes, fires and chemical emergencies.The LG directed departments to expedite implementation. The chief minister reiterated that disaster resilience remains a top priority and said the Prime Minister’s 10-point agenda on disaster risk reduction would guide the approach.Urban flooding was a major focus. After a presentation by PWD, approval was given to implement a Drainage Master Plan — a long-term strategy to modernise stormwater systems, reduce waterlogging and improve flood management through upgraded drains, integration of waterbodies and use of technology.Fuel and gas supply preparedness were also reviewed. The food and civil supplies department presented measures to ensure uninterrupted availability of LPG, PNG, petrol and diesel in view of the evolving global geopolitical situation. “Chaired DDMA meeting with CM Rekha Gupta. Reviewed measures for urban flooding mitigation & Delhi’s Drainage Master Plan… Discussed today’s unfortunate residential fire incident; directed a comprehensive fire audit across localities & institutions to strengthen prevention,” the LG wrote on X.In a separate meeting, Sandhu met NDMC chairperson Keshav Chandra at Lok Niwas, during which “the roadmap to unlock the full potential of the NDMC area” was discussed. Sandhu also met Dr VK Paul, member of NITI Aayog; Dr M Srinivas, director of AIIMS; Rajib Kumar Sen, programme director at NITI Aayog; and Rupesh Thakur, secretary (health) at Delhi govt.
