Delhi roads submerged, schools and colleges shut, traffic a mess as Yamuna rages
New Delhi, July 13
Waters from the raging Yamuna river inundated several parts of Delhi on Thursday, throwing normal life out of gear and prompting authorities to close all schools and colleges till July 16 and ban the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services.
The city is staring at a drinking water shortage as the Delhi government decided to cut down supply by 25 per cent following the closure of three water treatment plants—Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla—due to the rising level of the Yamuna.
Although the Yamuna water level remained stable for three hours on Thursday, it started rising again to reach 208.66 by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.
Several key areas in Delhi, including the secretariat which houses the offices of the chief minister as well as his cabinet colleagues, were flooded on Thursday as authorities scrambled to lead rescue and relief efforts.
The flood waters also reached parts of the Civil Lines area where the residences of Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and some cabinet ministers are located.
The Outer Ring Road near the Red Fort, Vishwakarma Colony, Yamuna Bazar, ISBT bus terminus, Kashmere Gate, Shankaracharya Road, Majnu Ka Tila, Batla House, Kirari and Kingsway Camp were among other areas that were inundated.
Twelve National Disaster Response Force teams, equipped with inflatable boats, ropes and other equipment, have been deployed in Delhi to help the administration in its rescue efforts.
More than 20,000 people have been shifted to the relief camps so far. There are 50 boats and more will be deployed if needed, Kejriwal said.
As the Yamuna continued to swell, the blame game over the water flow from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana into the river raged on.
Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal said not releasing excess water from the barrage could lead to “bigger damage” as it does not have a mechanism to store large volumes of water like a reservoir.
Hitting out at the AAP government, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir alleged that Delhi has become a “gutter”. “Nothing is for free, this is the price,” he tweeted.
With traffic in the national capital, especially in east Delhi, severely impaired by the closure of roads due to the overflowing Yamuna, the city’s traffic police issued an advisory on the restrictions and regulation of vehicular movement.
Waterlogging at the Kashmere Gate bus terminus forced the Delhi Transport Department to terminate buses from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and elsewhere at the Singhu border.
DTC buses will ferry people from there, officials said.
The Delhi Metro, the city’s lifeline, was also hit as the Yamuna continued to be in spate. The DMRC said metro trains were crossing the four Yamuna bridges with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as a precautionary measure.
The Yamuna waters also reached the walls of the Red Fort and people were seen navigating through waist-deep and in some places neck-high water. Archaeological Survey of India said the fort was closed to visitors till July 14 due to a flood-like situation.
Several vehicles were abandoned in flood water under a railway bridge near Geeta Colony as well as in Loha Pul and Yamuna Bazar area.
As the main gate of the Delhi government-run Sushruta Trauma Centre got inundated, authorities were forced to transfer 40 patients to the LNJP Hospital, officials said.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday issued an advisory asking people not to go to Nigambodh Ghat to carry out last rites. The crematorium in Geeta Colony too was closed due to the rise in Yamuna water levels.
The civic body has advised people to take the body of their near and dear ones to other cremation grounds at Panchkuian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri or preferably in their neighbourhood.
L-G Saxena held an emergency meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) because of the flood situation. Following the meeting, Kejriwal said, “All schools, colleges and universities are being closed till Sunday.”
All government offices associated with non-essential services will be closed till Sunday and employees will work from home, he said, adding private offices will be issued an advisory to follow the work-from-home practice.
Officials said commercial establishments around Kashmere Gate will be asked to remain closed till Sunday.
A tourist bus carrying 40 to 45 passengers was partially submerged at the underpass near the secretariat and authorities rushed to their rescue. Fire department personnel could be seen rescuing children in their arms through the waist-deep water.
Despite the situation being grave, some people preferred to move to the upper floors of their buildings rather than shift to relief camps. Those rescued from the Yamuna floodplains and taken to relief camps complained of lack of facilities.
Sitting at the ITO relief camp, Beena Devi recalled how in March bulldozers razed her pucca house and those of others in the Rajghat area to make way for a beautification project ahead of the G20 Summit. Now, her shanty on the bank of a swollen Yamuna is underwater.
“Everything is lost again,” she said.
In a camp near the Yamuna Bridge, Tarawati, who has a farm at the Yamuna floodplains, said the flood has destroyed both her farm and her shanty.
“We get food twice a day but there are no toilets here. We have to find places and have to sometimes go behind trees to relieve ourselves,” said the 50-year-old, who was evacuated four days ago.
The Delhi chief minister said in view of the problems faced by the people in relief camps, they will be shifted to school buildings which have proper toilet facilities.
The DDMA has stressed on ensuring adequate provisions of food, drinking water, medical aid and toilet facilities for the rescued people.
According to railway officials, more than 300 mail and express trains and 406 passenger trains have been cancelled between July 7 and July 15 due to waterlogging on tracks following heavy rainfall over the past few days.
