No need to panic, says PWD Minister

Minister Parvesh Verma visited the ITO Barrage here on Wednesday to review the situation as the Yamuna continues to flow above the danger mark due to heavy rainfall.

Verma said: “There is no need to panic. We don’t think that 2023-like flooding will occur. We have increased the water-holding capacity of the Yamuna over the last six months. Everyone is safe”.

He said coordinated work by the government and departments had ensured that the Capital would remain protected.

Meanwhile, a breach in the Mungeshpur drain at Bahadurgarh in Haryana’s Jhajjar district on Tuesday afternoon led to water entering villages and unauthorised colonies near the Delhi border, worsening the situation.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta intervened late on Tuesday night, speaking to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini to ensure urgent repairs. Delhi officials were the first to reach the spot, followed by their Haryana counterparts. NDRF teams also took charge of ground operations.

South-West Delhi District Magistrate Mekala Chaitanya Prasad supervised the repair works through the night until 4:30 am. The breach had caused flooding in Jharoda village and nearby unauthorised colonies.

CM Rekha was briefed by senior officials and immediately issued instructions to Divisional Commissioner Neeraj Semwal to evacuate affected residents. Around 2,000 people were shifted by DTC buses to shelters set up at Baba Haridas Temple and the MCD school in Jharoda, where food and other relief provisions were arranged.

Local public representatives, including MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat and MLA Neelam Pehlwan, remained in touch with officials and monitored the situation on the ground.

“Work is being carried out on a war footing, and the situation will normalise soon. The government will provide immediate assistance to all residents affected by waterlogging,” Rekha said.