NEW DELHI: The heavy rain and squally winds that swept through the Capital on Friday morning acted as an early monsoon stress test for the Delhi government and civic agencies, and familiar cracks in preparedness quickly surfaced. Despite claims of pre-monsoon planning, major parts of the city faced widespread waterlogging, particularly in areas that have historically struggled with drainage.
Trouble spots such as Minto Road, Lajpat Nagar, ITO, Dhaula Kuan and New Friends Colony were once again inundated, bringing traffic to a crawl and sparking frustration among commuters.
Shweta Sharma, a resident of Krishna Market in Lajpat Nagar, said that the roads in her locality were inundated with water for over three hours after the rains. “It is the same story year after year. Why were the drains not cleared beforehand? Commuting to the office was almost impossible as I was unable to drive my car or reach the nearest metro station.” Key underpasses, including those at Dwarka, Kishanganj, Minto Road, Azadpur, Bhairon Marg, and Jwalaheri, were flooded and largely avoided by motorists.
Reports of water accumulation also came from across West and South Delhi, Najafgarh Road near Janakpuri Metro Station, Pankha Road, Subroto Park, Manju Ka Tila, and Sadiq Nagar, along with central locations like Jantar Mantar and the vicinity of the NIA headquarters. Residential pockets such as Pitampura, East Vinod Nagar Block A, and Rohini Sector 3 were similarly affected. In East Delhi, areas like Patparganj and Anand Vihar saw familiar scenes of submerged streets and slowed traffic.
The Public Works Department said it swiftly addressed waterlogging complaints across the city, resolving over 90% of them within two hours.
According to PWD, rapid deployment of mobile pump units, super suction machines and bell-mouth cleaning teams played a key role in draining flooded areas. Most of the water was reportedly cleared within 30 to 60 minutes, even in low-lying pockets. PWD officials said 24x7 control rooms coordinated with regional teams to address site-specific complaints across the Capital. In several areas like RK Puram, Mayapuri, and Mandawali, maintenance vans and dewatering equipment helped restore normalcy swiftly. In the SKD Project and C&D Road Divisions, stretches like Minto Road, Ram Jhula Road, and IP Estate witnessed significant water accumulation. However, officials noted the newly installed permanent pumping station at Minto Road proved effective in handling the situation.
