New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) Severe traffic snarls and widespread waterlogging disrupted movement across Delhi on Tuesday after heavy rains lashed the city, forcing commuters to wade through deluged roads and streets.
Visuals from various parts of the city showed serpentine queues of vehicles at gridlocked intersections. In many areas, the water level rose to the knees, partially submerging cars and two-wheelers alike.
Traffic came to a near standstill on several stretches like ITO, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Delhi-Meerut Expressway, Nehru Place, Kailash Colony Road, Dhaula Kuan, Naraina, Patel Nagar, Vijay Chowk, Jangpura, RK Puram, Lajpat Nagar, Talkatora Road, Azad Market underpass, and Zakhira underpass.
According to the Public Works Department (PWD), around 90 calls regarding waterlogging were received at its flood control room on Tuesday morning.
Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma asserted that there was no waterlogging at hotspots like Minto Bridge underpass, Moolchand underpass, and Pul Prahladpur.
“Changing Delhi: From waterlogging to relief! There were spots where water used to accumulate every monsoon, but now traffic passes through without stopping. The Delhi of dreams is no longer just a promise; it is becoming a reality,” Verma said on X in Hindi as shared videos of smooth traffic movement at the three spots.
However, PWD officials said there was waterlogging reported at the Minto Bridge underpass, and traffic had to be diverted due to it for a brief period.
“The waterlogging at Minto Bridge was due to an overflowing drain of the DJB, but it didn’t last long. Traffic was diverted for 10 to 15 minutes,” a PWD official told PTI.
Between 8.30 am and 11.30 am, the city recorded 63.5 mm of rainfall at its primary weather station in Safdarjung, while other stations reported varying amounts: Ridge recorded 129.4 mm, Ayanagar 23 mm, Lodhi Road 64.5 mm, Pragati Maidan 44.4 mm, and Pusa 37.5 mm, according to data from the Regional Meteorological Centre.
Rajeev Sharma, a commuter from Ghaziabad, said, “It usually takes me around 45 minutes to reach my office in central Delhi, but today it took me almost two and a half hours. The roads were completely waterlogged, and the traffic just wouldn’t move.” Auto driver Abdul Qayyum, who was driving from south Delhi to Connaught Place, said, “Vehicles were crawling and all the traffic signals went kaput. It’s usually a 20 to 25-minute drive, but I was stuck for over an hour.” The Delhi Traffic Police shared information regarding snarls and diversions on X and advised commuters to avoid the affected stretches.
A ‘red alert’ was issued for Tuesday morning, which was later downgraded to an ‘orange alert’ after 11 am.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a red alert indicates “be vigilant”, while an orange alert means “be prepared”. The IMD predicted moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and surface winds with speeds of 30 to 40 kmph during the day.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 26.8 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 30 degrees Celsius.
Relative humidity was recorded at 70 per cent at 8.30 am.
The air quality was recorded in the satisfactory category at 9 am, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 87, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’. PTI NSM SHB SSM RHL
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