Delhi downpour: 200+ waterlogging complaints received, two roads cave in

According to IMD officials, it is not over yet. Delhiites can expect light to moderate rainfall on Monday, with a “yellow” alert in place.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature was 30.8 degrees Celsius, six degrees below normal, while the minimum was 25.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. On Monday, the temperatures are expected to settle between 31 and 24 degrees Celsius.
In neighbouring Ghaziabad, the NDRF was called in to rescue residents who got trapped following waterlogging in a colony in Daulat Nagar under Tronica City police station. As of 11 pm, about 15 people were evacuated. Officials said there is about 10 feet of water in the colony.

In Delhi, nearly 230 incidents of waterlogging were witnessed across the city including major stretches such as ITO, Lajpat Nagar 1, August Kranti Marg, Sundial Ring Road, Maharani Bagh, and even Shanti Path in Chanakyapuri.

The upscale Bharti Nagar area, where senior IAS and IPS officers’ houses are situated, was also flooded. Photos on social media showed water entering homes. According to officials, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has asked residents to evacuate the houses.

Due waterlogging in Bharti Nagar and Lodhi Estate area, on the request of residents and CPWD, power supply was cut off to avoid any untoward incidents.
According to senior officials in the Public Works Department, it has received 130 plus complaints of waterlogging. Minto Bridge also saw waterlogging and had to be closed to traffic for 40 minutes. “The bridge underpass was closed as a precautionary measure. Overflow of water was from DJB drains,” said a senior PWD official.

Officials added that the PWD also received complaints from MCD areas which they transferred to the corporation.

Meanwhile, officials from the NDMC, which looks after Lutyens’ and New Delhi areas, received around seven complaints of waterlogging and six complaints of fallen trees.

“Despite the heavy downpour, our officials are working tirelessly to drain out the water… Complaints were largely received from Connaught Place, Purana Qila Road, Mahadev Road… and the same was promptly attended to by dedicated teams of NDMC,” said an official.

The Delhi Traffic Police, meanwhile, received around 54 complaints of waterlogging up to 4.30 pm. Police issued updates of affected roads and traffic diversions to help commuters.

Civic agencies said they have set up controls, pump houses and automatic sensors to address waterlogging. The NDMC set up six control rooms at Sangli Mess, Khan Market, Netaji Nagar, Malcha Marg, Mandir Marg & Hanuman Road (Drainage Service Centres). PWD has set up 128 pump houses with 700 pumps.