With water-logging bringing vehicles to a complete standstill in many parts of Delhi, Monday was “one of the toughest days” to manage this rainy season. “With water-logging in major arterial roads it has been a tough day,” said Satyendra Garg, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
As the Capital was drenched by 26 mm rainfall, a string of complaints of water-logging followed suit in places such as Dhaula Kuan, Moti Bagh, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Green Park, Shantipath and August Kranti Marg. Rainwater crippled traffic in Dhaula Kuan making the normally four lane road into two. “It took almost two hours to clear the road and restore movement of traffic between Moti Bagh and Dhaula Kuan,” said Mr. Garg.
Severe water-logging was prevalent on Outer Ring Road affecting places such as Malai Mandir and Vasant Vihar.
However, North and Central Delhi were not completely spared from the wrath of the rain gods. “While the worst affected parts were South and South-West Delhi, places such as National Highway 1 and Wazirabad Road also suffered due to the rain,” he said.
Vehicular breakdown, dysfunctional traffic signals due to power outages and delay in tow-trucks reaching the spot led to severe traffic congestion in different parts of the city.
Vehicles going to and from the trans-Yamuna area were also affected due to water stagnation. With humidity levels between 65 and 97 per cent, the maximum temperature was 34.5 degree Celsius and the minimum was 26 degree Celsius. The weatherman has forecast a “partly cloudy sky” with light rains or thundershowers in some parts on Tuesday.
For the 24 hours till 3 p.m. on Monday, the three Corporations of North, South and East received 15 complaints of water-logging, five complaints regarding fallen trees and three complaints regarding collapsed buildings.
