City is sweeping out more than 6,000 metric tonne of garbage for Diwali cleaning. MCD says it's ready to clear
City is sweeping out more than 6,000 metric tonne of garbage for Diwali cleaning. MCD says it's ready to clear
Delhi is cleaning with vengeance. On Diwali, Delhiites want every home, office and road to sparkle. But in the process, the city is sweeping out more than 6,000 metric tonne of garbage everyday, a rise of 1,000 metric tonne, when compared to a regular day.
On a regular day, Delhi releases 5,500 to 5,700 metric tonne of waste. However, the figure has risen to 6,500 to 7,000 in the last week because of cleaning of homes, offices and other buildings in the city. On Diwali, the figure is expected to touch 10,000 metric tonne. However, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is not worried. MCD officials say they are prepared to bin the garbage.
"For our employees who are associated with cleaning the city, Diwali is not a holiday. Neither will they get leave on the days following the festival. They will regularly clean the residential areas and roads of the city. Delhites will find the streets as clean as they are on any other day," said the official spokesperson of MCD.
He added MCD has been running a special cleanliness drive for the past couple of days. Rekha Singh, a housewife from Malviya Nagar in South Delhi, said, "Every year we find heaps of garbage on the streets around Diwali. The MCD sweepers take their own time to clear it. Last Diwali, the garbage mound near my house was cleared after almost a week of Diwali. I hope this year it is cleaned the very next day."
However, some Delhiites complain municipal bodies like the MCD and the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) favour the city's more 'reputed' locations even in their cleaning drives. "Cleaning depends on which area of the city you are residing in. The posh colonies are cleaned just a day after Diwali. In my colony, MCD rules the roost. It is cleaned if the MCD sweepers want to, otherwise garbage piles up for weeks together," said Fatima Noor, a resident of Khanpur.
20 to 25% is the rise in garbage being swept out for Diwali cleaning
Metro's on a festive run Diwali special October 17, Saturday: Last Metro train will start at 8 pm from terminal stations of all three lines. On regular days, the last train starts at around 11 pm. Metro Feeder Bus service will be available up to 8.30 pm on that day.
During the day, Metro trains will run as usual from 6 am.
Bhaiya Duj
October 19, Monday: Metro trains will run at peak frequency between 8 am to 8.30 pm.
Trains will be available every four minutes on Line 1 (Dilshad Garden to Rithala), every 3 minutes and 25 seconds on Line-2 (Central Secretariat to Jahangir Puri) and every 4 minutes and 15 seconds on Line 3 (Yamuna Bank to Dwarka Sector-9).
Extra ticket counters will also be opened.