NEW DELHI, October 1, 2025 – The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) has urged the government to provide ₹20 lakh compensation to the family of 33-year-old Devendra alias Kalu, who tragically drowned in a drain during heavy rains in Mehrauli.
DPCC President Shri Devender Yadav described the incident as “deeply disturbing” and criticized the Delhi BJP Government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for civic negligence. Despite attempts by the fire department to save him, Devendra’s life could not be rescued, highlighting lapses in local governance.
Shri Yadav demanded a judicial inquiry to identify those responsible and hold them accountable. He pointed out that promises of drain desilting and sanitation drives by the Delhi government remain unfulfilled. Recent reports suggest that the wiremesh covering the drain, intended for public safety, was removed on the Deputy Chief Minister’s orders.
The Congress leader further criticized the government’s “photo-op initiatives” on road repairs and sanitation, labeling them as superficial, and highlighted that this incident is part of a worrying pattern of civic negligence. Recent heavy rains submerged areas including Mehrauli, Badarpur Flyover, MB Road, Mundka, and Rohini Vishwakarma Road, underlining systemic issues in urban planning.
Shri Yadav also recalled a September 17 tragedy, when a 40-year-old man named Arvind died while manually cleaning a sewer, noting that the government has yet to take action against those accountable. Despite repeated warnings from the NGT and the Supreme Court, the practice of manual drain cleaning continues, even though bureaucrats have been granted financial powers up to ₹10 crores for development works.
The DPCC’s demands emphasize compensation, accountability, and reforms to prevent further loss of life due to administrative failures.
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