Ghaziabad: Ahead of monsoon, corporation starts re-construction of 9 drains

The Ghaziabad municipal corporation has initiated construction and renovation of nine drains across different city zones to tackle waterlogging ahead of the upcoming monsoon season. The civic body has launched the project at an estimated cost of ₹30 crore and aims to complete it by the end of June, officials said.

The drains have been taken up across five zones—two in Vijay Nagar, four in Mohan Nagar, and one each in Vasundhara, Kavi Nagar, and City zones, officials said. The project includes the reconstruction of seven existing drains and the construction of two new ones, they added.

 “One of the new drains is being constructed near the civil airport and will help in channelling the drainage. It is a new drain. Another new drain is getting constructed near Mohan Nagar, where waterlogging ensues every monsoon season and also hampers traffic,” said NK Chaudhary, chief engineer of the corporation. 

According to officials, the funding for the project has been sourced from grants received under the Fifteenth Finance Commission for solid waste management activities. Ghaziabad’s municipal limits have a total of about 553 drains of various sizes, officials noted. Tenders for cleaning these drains are expected to be floated soon.

Separately, another major project involving ₹132 crore for strengthening the Shahberi drain may face delays. This drain stretches from near ABES College on National Highway-9 to the Shahberi culvert opposite Crossings Republik Township. The initiative, part of an urban flood prevention plan, also includes the construction of a motorable road over the drain, they added.

“The funds have been approved but not yet transferred to the corporation. The project also involves the construction of a motorable road over the drain. This project has been vetted by IIT-Roorkee and may not take off ahead of the monsoon season this year,” Chaudhary added.