NEW DELHI: As heavy showers lashed the city on Monday, waterlogging and traffic snarls were reported across key stretches, with some areas recording nearly 67 mm of rainfall. Several key stretches, including parts of Lutyens’ Delhi, Mathura Road, Connaught Place, Bhairon Marg, ITO and the Zakhira underpass, were waterlogged.
From shops and goods submerged in Sadar Bazar to severe waterlogging at Mahilpur flyover, knee-deep water in Sangam Vihar and Sonia Vihar, and flooding in Durga Vihar, Rail Vihar, Subhash Chowk, Vatika Chowk, Janakpuri and parts of Rohini, the downpour brought the city to a standstill.
The scenes on Monday were a repeat of the waterlogging woes residents had faced a few weeks ago. Videos circulating on social media showed at least a dozen students wading through waist-deep water in Sangam Vihar. In Sadar Bazar too, residents were forced to make their way through waist-deep water after parts of Old Delhi were inundated.
Several roads in and around Kamla Nagar market were also submerged following the heavy showers. The weather department data showed that Janakpuri recorded 67 mm of rain, followed by Chhatarpur at 57 mm, Pitampura at 35 mm and Safdarjung at 29 mm. Commuters were stuck in heavy traffic trails near Sarai Kale Khan, Mathura Road and the Dwarka Expressway.
Some visuals on social media showed commuters wading through water at the Zakhira underpass, while severe waterlogging was also reported near Shivaji Stadium, inconveniencing commuters.
The weather office had issued a red alert for heavy rain across the capital for a few hours.
Amidst the inclement weather, a portion of a dilapidated building collapsed in the Chandni Mahal area, damaging several two-wheelers, police said. After the Chandni Mahal police station received a PCR call about the collapse at 1569, Pahari Bhojla, it dispatched a police team, which reached the spot and secured the area.
Police said they shifted residents to a safe location and removed vehicles lying under or near the debris. No injuries were reported, they said, adding that the building was already in a dilapidated condition. According to police, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had already issued a notice regarding the building’s condition, and repair work was underway when the collapse happened.
The IMD also reported very heavy rainfall of 12 cm to 20 cm in Haryana. Traffic crawled along waterlogged stretches of the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and National Highway 48 in Gurgaon, with inundation and traffic disruptions reported in Sikanderpur Ghosi, Noida and parts of Faridabad.
NCR scenes no different
Many parts of Uttar Pradesh witnessed heavy showers on Monday, disrupting normal life in urban pockets, the meteorological department said. In Ghaziabad, spells led to severe waterlogging across major roads and low-lying sectors, causing massive traffic congestion. An auto-rickshaw had overturned after hitting a pothole on a waterlogged stretch. The passengers suffered minor injuries.
Oppn questions claims of extensive drain cleaning
Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday said the city has been suffering from severe waterlogging and shared videos showing flooded areas. He questioned the administration’s claims of extensive drain cleaning. Sharing a clip from Sadar Bazaar, he said the city’s prominent commercial hub was flooded with waist-deep water, alleging that shops had been inundated and goods damaged. However, there was no immediate response available from BJP or the government.
MCD junior engineer suspended
The MCD has suspended a junior engineer for alleged dereliction of duty after a 15-year-old boy fell into an open drain in Jasola, officials said on Monday. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had directed the chief secretary to suspend the guilty officer in an hour, officials said.