'52 tonnes waste cleared': NDMC races to restore Jantar Mantar after CJP protest

NEW DELHI: Jantar Mantar and key roads in central Delhi turned into a massive clean-up zone on Sunday, with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) deploying more than 100 sanitation workers, heavy vehicles and mechanised equipment to clear the aftermath of the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest.The civic body said nearly 60 metric tonnes of waste is expected to be removed from the protest site and adjoining areas after protesters dispersed on Saturday.The extensive clean-up operation began after the protest was called off on Saturday following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister over the NEET paper leak controversy.Sanitation workers, heavy vehicles and mechanised cleaning equipment were deployed overnight to clear waste from Jantar Mantar and restore the surrounding areas.NDMC officials said civic body staff were also present on the ground to supervise the operation.Sanitation teams have been deployed across Tolstoy Marg, Jantar Mantar, Sansad Marg, Jai Singh Marg and the Connaught Place area.According to the NDMC, 75 sanitation workers were deployed overnight, while another 35 have been on duty since Sunday morning.The scale of the clean-up increased sharply after the protest ended.According to NDMC officials, around 40 metric tonnes of waste had been removed by Saturday night, while a further 12 metric tonnes was cleared on Sunday morning.This takes the total waste removed so far to around 52 metric tonnes, with the civic body expecting the final quantity to reach nearly 60 metric tonnes.To speed up the operation, NDMC has deployed eight auto-tippers, two heavy trucks, one excavator and three pressure jetting machines.Jetting machines were used to wash and clean roads around Jantar Mantar, while mechanical road sweepers and sanitation workers were deployed across the wider area.The civic body’s operation is not limited to removing garbage from the protest site.NDMC teams are also carrying out restoration work to bring the affected public spaces back to their original condition.As part of the exercise, civic workers are repainting walls to remove protest slogans, repairing damaged curbstones and footpaths, and washing public spaces around the area.NDMC had already carried out a major waste removal exercise on Friday, when around 27 metric tonnes of mixed waste was cleared from the protest site.The quantity was substantially higher than the 15 metric tonnes removed a day earlier.Apart from mixed waste, sanitation teams also had to clear construction debris, stones and other solid waste from the protest area.Officials said the large volume of waste left behind after the protest ended made it necessary to undertake a more extensive round-the-clock clean-up operation across Jantar Mantar and the adjoining roads.(With PTI inputs)You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in DelhiStay updated with the latest Delhi news. Download the TOI App.