The Delhi High Court has pulled up the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and other concerned agencies over the continuing waterlogging and traffic congestion in Mahipalpur, observing that despite several meetings and extensive paperwork, no responsibility had been fixed for carrying out the required remedial works and no timelines had been prescribed.
A Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a petition concerning severe waterlogging in the Mahipalpur area near the airport. The Court had earlier directed a Special Task Force, supervised by the Chief Secretary, GNCTD, to convene meetings with all relevant stakeholders and examine the feasibility of constructing a storm-water drain to prevent waterlogging.
Pursuant to the Court’s directions, a high-level meeting was held on August 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, GNCTD, with representatives of the concerned departments and agencies. The meeting recorded that the existing drainage network’s carrying capacity had been compromised following development works in the Aerocity area, adversely affecting discharge into the Najafgarh Drain.
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The Chief Secretary directed agencies executing large-scale infrastructure projects to ensure integrated drainage connectivity. NHAI was directed to undertake technical evaluations and submit a permanent drainage proposal in consultation with DIAL and other stakeholders. DIAL, meanwhile, gave an in-principle commitment to construct a 3.5-km storm-water drain along NH-48 from Shankar Vihar to Radisson Circle. Interim measures, including deployment of pumps and clearing of inlets, were also directed to mitigate waterlogging during the monsoon.
The Court further noted that NHAI, in consultation with DIAL, had proposed several short- and long-term measures. These included pumping stations at Samalkha and Mahipalpur Junction, elimination of the hydraulic choke point in Mahipalpur Drain, re-planning of the Dwarka Expressway drainage system, regular cleaning and desilting of the Samalkha and Najafgarh drains, and improvements to the railway drainage system.
However, after examining the minutes of meetings held between July 31 and September 7, 2026, the Court observed that the process had generated enormous paper work but there was still no clarity on which agency or company was responsible for which work, nor had any timelines been fixed.
The Bench also criticised the manner in which NHAI appeared before the Court, noting that no official from NHAI was present and its counsel sought an adjournment on the ground that she had been engaged recently. The Court also noted that DIAL was seeking an adjournment despite describing its proposal for the 3.5-km storm-water drain as a “good faith proposal.”
The Court recorded the GNCTD’s submission that redevelopment in the Aerocity area and the NHAI national highwayhad contributed to the waterlogging situation in Mahipalpur, which was also experiencing substantial traffic congestion on an almost daily basis. It observed that the images of waterlogging placed before the Court ought to have resulted in a serious response from the concerned agencies, but no specific agency was willing to take responsibility for resolving either the waterlogging or traffic congestion.
The Chief Secretary, GNCTD has accordingly been directed to continue holding meetings and, by the next hearing, submit a report identifying the short-term and long-term measures and the agency/entity responsible for implementing them. These decisions are to be taken in the next two meetings to be convened by the Chief Secretary by October 15, 2026.
The agencies to which responsibilities are assigned have been directed to file status reports by October 30, 2026, setting out the steps to be undertaken and specific timelines. The Court further directed NHAI and DIAL to resolve the recurring waterlogging and traffic congestion on a speedy basis and warned that it may issue stringent directions if a proper proposal is not placed before it by the next hearing.
The matter has been listed for October 30, 2026.
