Delhi civic body chairman issues rare apology after waterlogging mess
What's the story
New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi has apologized to residents of Central Delhi after heavy rains caused severe waterlogging in key areas. He admitted that despite their best efforts, they could not clear the water within the usual 15-20 minutes. "There was more than 72mm of rainfall in less than 2 hours...But this cannot be an excuse, and we will have to strengthen our systems to deal with such situations in future," he said.
Future preparedness
Short- and long-term measures promised
Dwivedi has assured both short- and long-term measures to ensure the entire NDMC area remains waterlogging-free in the future.
The apology came after heavy rain this week triggered waterlogging across several key parts of Central Delhi.
His apology was widely praised on social media, with many users appreciating his accountability.
Celebrated audio storyteller and writer Neelesh Misra wrote, "Gurgaon and other Indian cities, please learn."
Public engagement
Public grievances addressed
Dwivedi also addressed public grievances on his post.
When asked why his apology was limited to NDMC areas, he replied, "We all have to be accountable."
He also agreed "100%" with another user who pointed out that similar waterlogging scenes were seen every monsoon and called for long-term drainage solutions.
The rain-related disruption also affected neighboring Gurugram, where waterlogging brought parts of the city to a standstill.
Political fallout
Gurugram's 'band-aid solutions' draw political fire
Union Minister of State for Culture and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh slammed the measures as "band-aid solutions" and blamed past Congress-era developments for blocking old drainage channels.
The Congress hit back, questioning how infrastructure had "collapsed" despite BJP spending ₹1,400 crore in recent years.
"The Congress turned Gurugram into the country's 'growth engine,' but today, the BJP's 'triple engine' transformed Gurugram into Floodgram—a city of waterlogging, crumbling roads, submerged vehicles, muck, filth, and deadly streets," he wrote on X.