New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Friday that under the ‘Mega Cleanliness Drive’, the MCD cleaned over 3,500 km of roads, with the maximum cleaning being achieved in the Rohini Zone, followed by Najafgarh, Karol Bagh, and South Zone.

Releasing a zone-wise progress report issued by the MCD, she said strict action was taken against encroachments and insanitary conditions during the drive.

A total of 11,131 challans were issued during the campaign, with West Zone recording the highest number of 2,994 challans. Additionally, 5,932 illegal materials were seized, and 186.5 km of roads were cleared of encroachments, she said.

This 20-day ‘Mega Cleanliness Drive’ was carried out across all 12 zones of MCD, covering major works like cleaning, removing encroachments, and issuing challans.

The Chief Minister mentioned that the ‘Swachh Delhi’ initiative by the Delhi government is receiving tremendous support from the citizens of the capital. The latest figures released by the MCD show that this comprehensive cleanliness campaign is delivering remarkable results on the ground.

The CM stated that a clean, healthy, and beautiful Delhi is the path to the Viksit Delhi. “The zone-wise report released by the MCD clearly indicates that the drive initiated by our government is not only progressing successfully but has also brought about a positive change in the lifestyle of the people,” she said.

She further explained that under this campaign, extensive cleaning and management activities were conducted in Delhi’s 12 zones (Karol Bagh, City SP, West Zone, South, Civil Lines, Central Zone, Shahdara South, Shahdara North, Najafgarh, Narela, Rohini, and Keshav Puram).

Along with this, under the ‘Mega Cleanliness Drive’, large-scale cleaning of MCD drains was carried out across Delhi, which will significantly help in addressing the waterlogging issues during the monsoon season. A total of 19,892.38 metric tonnes of silt has been removed so far, which is a major achievement.

The Chief Minister also informed that by May 21, the Irrigation and Flood Control department has removed 13,72,276 metric tonne of silt from 27 drains in Delhi and has been given clear instructions to complete the removal of the remaining silt by May 31, 2025.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the silt removed should be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner to ensure both environmental protection and the city’s cleanliness. This cleaning process will not only restore the drainage capacity of the drains but will also help reduce waterlogging during the monsoon.

To make the city safer, the government has identified 4,139 dark spots and rectified them. A total of 4,140 streetlights were repaired, and 285 new streetlights were installed to ensure proper lighting in areas where no system existed before.

She said this initiative is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of citizens, especially women and senior citizens. “The government’s goal is to make every corner of Delhi safe, illuminated, and equipped with public facilities, even during nighttime,” she said.

–IANS

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