New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has claimed that it has overshot its pre-monsoon desilting target by mid-June, achieving 118.8% desilting across 793 drains that are wider than four feet.Against the Phase-I target of removing and transporting 1.4 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of silt, the civic body has cleared 1.7 lakh MT.“Directions have been issued to lift the silt deposited on roadsides to prevent waterlogging and transport it to the city’s three landfills or the Singhola silt disposal site,” an official said.In a departure from previous years, MCD said the exercise covered unauthorised colonies as well. The desilting target has steadily increased over the years — from 65,165 MT in 2023 and 68,183 MT in 2024 to 1.1 lakh MT in 2025. This year’s target marks an increase of nearly 28% over last year.According to officials, the civic body has adopted a two-phase desilting plan for 2026, with a total target of 2.3 lakh MT of silt removal. Of this, 1.4 lakh MT was scheduled for removal before the monsoon under Phase I, while 92,129 MT is proposed to be removed by the end of Dec under Phase II.“We are running ahead of our Phase-I target. Inspections of drains are still under way and wherever issues are reported, nodal officers are being directed to take immediate action,” an official said.Civic agencies estimate the volume of pre-monsoon desilting by calculating the drain’s cross-sectional area, measuring sediment depth and factoring in historical accumulation trends, catchment size and urban runoff data.Engineering teams conduct surveys between Jan and May to assess silt accumulation. Measurements are taken at fixed intervals and compared with previous years’ data to determine annual desilting targets.Most of the desilting work in major drains has been outsourced, while MCD’s engineering department is monitoring progress to ensure completion before the onset of the monsoon.“The contracted agencies are using excavators, mechanised equipment and manual labour to remove the silt. Once dry, the silt is transported to sanitary landfills. For smaller drains, nullah beldars have been instructed to clear floating waste on a daily basis,” an official said.The civic body, however, expressed concern over the discharge of sewer connections into several drains at different locations, saying the issue continues to hamper maintenance efforts.MCD has also issued a list of drain-wise nodal officers to oversee the functioning and upkeep of drains during the monsoon. Simultaneously, arrangements are being made at nine identified waterlogging hotspots to mitigate flooding and ensure a swift response during heavy rainfall.For the first time, heavy-duty suction pumps will be deployed at vulnerable locations to provide immediate relief from waterlogging.Raising concerns over the delayed cleaning of the disused canal drain connecting Karkari Mor to the SDM office in east Delhi, MCD wrote to Public Works Department (PWD).“The drain carries a significant volume of discharge from Shahdara south zone. We requested round-the-clock cleaning operations with heavy machinery and adequate manpower deployment,” an official said.The civic body has also corresponded with the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department regarding the desilting of covered drain stretches at Dabri and Sewa Nagar.“At the Sewa Nagar bus depot, there is a 1.2-km covered section that was to be cleaned by the I&FC Department using specialised techniques. We have sent repeated reminders in this regard,” the official added.