NEW DELHI: Several low-lying areas were submerged in waist-deep water and traffic came to a grinding halt on many key roads after incessant rains lashed the national capital and parts of bordering Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad on Wednesday.
People and vehicles waded through waterlogged roads to reach their destinations as traffic moved at snail’s pace.
About a dozen vehicles were damaged after a boundary wall collapsed in Saket area due to the rains, civic officials said. There were reports of trees being uprooted in some places. Many parts of the city were completely inundated after just a few hours of rain.
Waterlogging was reported at several major roads and underpasses including Pul Prahladpur, Moti Bagh FOB, Palam FOB, Chhatta Rail, Batra Hospital, Minto Bridge, BRT Corridor Sangam Vihar, Badarpur Border, Bhairon Road Both Side, Aashram Chowk slip road, Purana Qila Road, Chandagi Ram Akhara, Okhla Mandi, Timar Pur Road, Khaiber Pass and Guru Nanak Chowk.
There was heavy traffic on a stretch between Vasant Kunj towards IGI Airport (both carriageway) and motorists were requested totake Mahipalpur Chowk as an alternative route. Delhi Traffic Police kept the commuters updated about waterlogging and traffic snarls across the city.
Several irked commuters took to twitter to complain about the situation. “It took two hours to reach Aerocity from Gurugram due to heavy waterlogging under the Gurugram flyover. On the Delhi Airport route, we are stuck again for almost 1.30 hours,” said Sebastian John, an IT professional. Several people also shared pictures of traffic jams, submerged roads and underpasses.
In a video posted on social media, residents of a locality at Sohna Road could be seen using a boat to traverse a flooded passage. Another video emerged showing a group of teachers using a tractor to cross the waterlogged area and reach the school.
Power cuts amplify residents’ woes
Power cuts in some areas added to the problems of NCR residents, particularly those working from home. “The power supply was switched-off for short durations either due to waterlogging or tree branches falling on power lines for safety considerations,’ a BSES official said