The Delhi High Court has pulled up the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and other agencies over the continuing waterlogging and traffic congestion in city's Mahipalpur area. [2026 LiveLaw (Del) 881]

A Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora observed that despite several meetings and “enormous paper work”, no responsibility had been fixed for resolving the issue and no timelines had been prescribed.

The Bench said that the regular waterlogging near the airport and the access road towards Gurugram required a serious response from the concerned agencies.

“The extensive meetings which have been held post the last order… have resulted in enormous paper work, but on the ground, there appears to be no responsibility fixed as to which job is to be undertaken by which agency or company. No timelines have also been fixed,” the Court observed.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by civil rights group Social Jurist concerning severe waterlogging in Mahipalpur, an area located near the airport.

The Bench had earlier directed the Special Task Force constituted in another matter concerning waterlogging to hold meetings with all relevant stakeholders, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), NHAI, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Public Works Department (PWD), and examine the feasibility of constructing a storm water drain in the area.

Pursuant to the directions, a meeting was convened under the Chairmanship of the Delhi Government's Chief Secretary on August 03.

The meeting found that the effective carrying capacity of the existing drainage network was compromised following development works in the Aerocity area, severely affecting discharge into the Najafgarh Drain.

The Chief Secretary had then directed agencies executing large-scale infrastructure projects to ensure integrated drainage connectivity so that surrounding areas and arterial corridors do not suffer from water stagnation.

NHAI was also directed to undertake a technical evaluation and submit a permanent drainage proposal in consultation with DIAL and other stakeholders.

DIAL had given an in-principle commitment to construct a 3.5-km storm water drain along NH-48 from Shankar Vihar to Radisson Circle.

In the interim, the authorities were directed to deploy pumps and to clear drainage inlets, to prevent waterlogging during the monsoon.

In the latest hearing, the Court noted that subsequent meetings held between August 4 and September 7 resulted in enormous paper work, but on the ground, there was no responsibility fixed as to which job is to be undertaken by which agency or company.

“The callous approach of NHAI in the appearance today before the Court is completely not appreciated,” the Bench observed, noting that no NHAI official was present and its counsel appearing virtually was not prepared to make submissions and merely sought an adjournment.

The Court also noted that DIAL was seeking an adjournment after describing its proposal for the 3.5-km storm water drain as a “good faith proposal”.

The Court was informed by Delhi Government standing counsel that the redevelopment in the Aerocity area and on the NHAI national highway had contributed to the waterlogging in Mahipalpur and that the area was also facing substantial traffic congestion almost on a daily basis.

On this, the Court said that the images of waterlogging at Mahipalpur ought to have evoked a serious response from these agencies but there was none as no specific agency was willing to take the responsibility to fix the issue of water logging or traffic congestion.

The Bench noted that while the minutes of the meetings assigned certain actions to various agencies, the principal short-term and long-term proposals had come from NHAI and it appeared to be the agency responsible for the area.

The Court accordingly directed the Delhi Government's Chief Secretary to continue holding meetings and submit a report by the next hearing specifying the short-term and long-term measures to be undertaken and identifying the agency or entity responsible for each measure.

The Court directed that the decisions be taken in the next two meetings to be convened by the Chief Secretary by October 15.

By October 30, the next date of hearing, the agencies assigned responsibility have been directed to file status reports detailing the steps to be undertaken along with specific timelines.

“Moreover, the regular waterlogging in the Mahipalpur area as also the traffic congestion in the said area needs to be resolved by NHAI and DIAL on a speedy basis with a proper proposal by the next date of hearing, failing which, the Court would be constrained to pass some stringent directions in this regard,” the Court directed further.

The Court also directed that all responsible officials of the concerned agencies remain personally present on the next date of hearing, with counsels appearing physically along with competent officials capable of taking responsibility and answering the Court's queries.

The matter will next be heard on October 30.

Title: SOCIAL JURIST, A CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP v. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Del) 881

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