Delhi Govt Plans Integrated Command Centre to Tackle Waterlogging, Says PWD Minister Parvesh Verma

By A Staff Reporter

In a move aimed at strengthening Delhi’s monsoon preparedness, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma shared a detailed vision for establishing an integrated command centre to streamline the management of waterlogging complaints across the city.

Speaking about the initiative, Verma emphasized the need for coordinated governance. “Our vision at present—since all three governments are of one party—is that there should be no blame game. During the last rains, we observed that every department was handling complaints separately. To address this, we are proposing an integrated system,” he said.

He pointed out that a high-tech command centre already exists in the NDMC Smart City building but is currently underutilized. “We want a unified command centre that brings together NDMC, MCD, PWD, DDA, the Flood Department, and the Jal Board. The idea is to give Delhi citizens one number to call for any waterlogging-related complaints, which can then be routed to the appropriate department,” Verma explained.

The minister added that the system could also enable real-time oversight by the Chief Minister, with live CCTV footage from across Delhi feeding into the centre. “We are also automating pump stations and considering the use of the 311 helpline for this initiative,” he said.