Indian Army Engineers Prevent Flooding of Lutyens Delhi from Raging Yamuna

Working diligently, the Army engineers constructed a bridge in record time to halt the forceful flow of Yamuna and prevent its merging with the drain, thus averting flooding in the roads of Lutyens Delhi. To block the raging river, the engineers utilized sandbags, bamboo, iron frames, hesco bags, and MS iron sheets. This unreported work of the Indian Army continued while they simultaneously worked on opening the jammed gates of the ITO Barrage, which had accumulated heavy deposits of silt.

Lieutenant Colonel Shankar Kehal of the Eight Engineers Regiment stated, "We were instructed to open the gates on Thursday. We have the manpower and equipment to tackle the situation. Initially, we used underwater welding and cutting techniques, but later we focused on removing the silt, which proved to be more challenging and time-consuming." The Indian Navy also collaborated with the Indian Army to aid in the silt removal process. Captain Sanjay Kadyan of the Indian Navy explained, "We have 15 divers involved in silt removal. Our divers are employing compressed air technology to ensure effective silt removal."

Additionally, there were concerns that the channel of the Delhi Jal Board, responsible for carrying drinking water, had developed cracks, potentially leaving citizens without access to clean water. However, the Indian Army swiftly repaired the damaged channel, ensuring that the citizens of Delhi were not left without drinking water. Saurabh Bharadwaj, the Water Irrigation and Health Minister of the Delhi Government praised the efforts of the Indian Army and Indian Navy, stating, "All the agencies involved in assisting them have done exemplary work. I salute them."