New Delhi: It’s been two days since it rained heavily in Delhi. And yet, the national capital is seeing flooding after water in the Yamuna breached its danger level.
On Thursday, as floodwaters swamped several parts of Delhi, authorities attributed the rise in the Yamuna to water being directed towards the city from Hathni Kund, a concrete barrage in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana. According to data from the Delhi government, the discharge from Hathni Kund Barrage at 3 pm stood at 1,03,517 cusecs — down from 1,56,753 cusecs discharged at 1 am.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC) — India’s apex technical organisation in the field of water resources — Yamuna waters stood at 208.66 metres at 6 pm Thursday.
When Yamuna reaches 204.5 metres, it’s considered the warning level. It crosses the danger mark when it is over 205.33 metres.
The Delhi government has announced that all schools and colleges will remain shut till Sunday, as will all non-essential government offices. Employees of private establishments, meanwhile, have been advised to work from home.
This is the highest documented level of water in the river, even surpassing the previous high of 207.49 metres recorded in 1978.
As a result, areas adjoining the river, including the areas on the Yamuna floodplains, remain affected by flooding.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), which Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena had called. In a tweet before the meeting, the chief minister said water was being discharged from Hathni Kund because there was no reservoir there.
“All Delhiites should be patient, soon the water level will come down and the situation will be normal,” he said, adding that he was getting hourly updates on the situation and that water levels should recede by Friday.
“We are estimating that the water released last night will lead to a rise in the Yamuna waters today, and most likely by tomorrow, it will subside again,” the CM said in a press statement after the DDMA meeting.
Meanwhile, another statement from L-G’s secretariat said 12 teams of the National Disaster Response Force are involved in relief and rescue operations in the city.
Traffic restrictions, evacuations — measures taken so far
The CWC has forecast that Yamuna’s water level is likely to go down to 208.45 metres by 3 am Friday.
According to the Delhi Traffic Police, rise in the water levels has impacted traffic at multiple locations — including Pragati Maidan, Majnu Ka Tilla, Gandhi Nagar, and Rajghat.
On Thursday, the Delhi government’s transport department banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles into the city. However, these restrictions will not apply to heavy vehicles carrying essential commodities.
Interstate buses bound for the bus terminal at Kashmere Gate will be stopped at the Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana — and passengers will be ferried from there in Delhi Transport Corporation buses.
“According to our estimates, more than 20,000 people have been shifted to the relief camps. There are about 50 boats at present, but if needed, the number may be increased as per requirement,” Kejriwal said Thursday, adding that the city will face significant water shortage over the next few days because the treatment plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla have been temporarily put out of use by the floods.
“About 25 percent of the supply will be affected due to this. Citizens are being advised to ration water for the next 1-2 days, after which the situation is expected to get better,” he said.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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