Noida: The residents of Sector 19, Noida, were initially delighted when their long-standing demand for the renovation of the stormwater drain passing through the sector was finally approved last year. The project, sanctioned for ₹12 crores under the leadership of the new CEO of Noida Authority, Dr. Lokesh M, was taken up in April 2024 at the request of RWA-19. It was expected to permanently resolve recurring issues of waterlogging and poor drainage.
However, even after more than a year, the situation has worsened rather than improved. The faulty execution of the project by inexperienced and uncooperative contractors has created grave hardships for residents.
The drain is now silted more heavily than before, with the water level rising higher than the connecting feeder drains.
Instead of draining rainwater, the system is forcing backflow of sewage and dirty water onto sector roads, seeping into houses and causing severe unhygienic living conditions. Such a situation had never arisen in the past.
Despite repeated complaints by RWA-19, the stormwater drain has not been cleaned. At the exit point near House No. C-1/19 (opposite Fortune Hotel), the stretch under MP Road No. 2 remains completely blocked even though two-thirds of the monsoon season is already over.
At the start of the project, all the drinking water pipelines on both sides of the drain were damaged due to negligence. For days, residents were forced to consume contaminated water. Shockingly, even after a year, the damaged pipelines have not been replaced, despite multiple assurances.
Adding to the frustration, the RWA-19 was never consulted during the awarding or monitoring of the project, even though the approval was originally granted on their request. The residents now feel ignored and betrayed and anger in the community is rising sharply.
The RWA-19 urgently appeals to the CEO of Noida Authority to:
1. Stop the reverse flow of sewage water into residential lanes immediately by installing stop valves at the connecting points.
2. Clean the stormwater drain on priority to reduce water levels and restore smooth outflow.
3. Replace all damaged drinking water pipelines with good-quality pipes without further delay.
4. Ensure that the pending works are completed properly before final payments to the contractors are settled.
The residents request the CEO to personally intervene and issue strict directions to all concerned departments to resolve this matter at the earliest.Sector-19, Noida