Downpour brings life to a halt in Capital

Heavy rain disrupted normal life in New Delhi on Raksha Bandhan, with waterlogged streets and roads causing chaos for residents and commuters.

The downpour, which began overnight and continued into the day, forced people to wade through flooded areas, making it difficult to celebrate the festival. Traffic jams and flight delays added to the misery.

By 5.30 pm, the city’s main weather stations recorded significant rainfall: Safdarjung 104 mm, Pragati Maidan 120 mm, Lodhi Road 100 mm, Pusa 101 mm and Palam 53 mm.

Showers started at 11 pm on Friday, affecting multiple parts of Delhi-NCR and leading to waterlogging at several locations including Panchkuian Marg, Mathura Road, Shastri Bhawan, RK Puram, Moti Bagh, Kidwai Nagar and others.

One of the worst-hit areas was the Ghazipur border, where vehicles struggled through knee-deep water on submerged roads.

Several areas in Old Delhi, including Delhi Junction Railway Station and Ajmeri Gate, also reported waterlogging following the overnight downpour.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police warned traffic might be affected on Lodhi Road in the carriageway from Madarsa towards Lodhi Hotel due to a tree bending towards the road near Lodhi Garden. A later update confirmed the tree had been removed.

The rain not only slowed road traffic but also disrupted air travel, with over 300 flights delayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) due to heavy showers.

The average delay in flight departures was approximately 17 minutes. While rainwater accumulated on Delhi’s roads, it also impacted the Yamuna river’s water level. At 8 am, the Yamuna’s water level was recorded at 204.4 metres, just 10 cm below the alert level of 204.5 metres. The danger level is 205.33 metres.

An official from the Flood and Irrigation Department stated, “The situation is being closely monitored and all relevant agencies have been instructed to take precautionary measures to manage any flood-like conditions.”