Streets flooded, massive traffic jams in Delhi as city receives highest rain in Sep in 19 years

Record rain in Delhi created mayhem on Wednesday as many parts of the city, including the Diplomatic Enclave in Chanakyapuri, Connaught Place, ITO, Janpath and Ring Road, were flooded, throwing traffic out of gear across the national capital.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded 112.1 mm rainfall in 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Wednesday, the highest single-day precipitation in September in 19 years.

The capital had recorded 126.8 mm rainfall on September 13, 2002. The all-time record is 172.6 mm rainfall on September 16, 1963. The city gauged 75.6 mm rainfall in just three hours starting at 8.30 am on Wednesday.

Commuters had a harrowing time as the traffic crawled on several key stretches due to extensive waterlogging at many places.

Some of the important areas that saw major waterlogging included Diplomatic Enclave of Chanakyapuri, Lodhi Road, Connaught Place, Minto Road underpass, Panchkuian road, Janpath, Akbar Road, roads near India Gate, Vasant Kunj, Ring Road, and Rohtak Road.

People took to different social media platforms and uploaded videos of inundated streets, colonies and markets.

In one such purported video, some roads near the American Embassy at Shanti Path and in Connaught Place were seen submerged in knee-deep water. The situation was similar in some other NDMC VVIP areas near Samrat Hotel and Lodhi Road.

No immediate reaction from the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on several of its areas getting inundated was available.

In another video which went viral on social media, rainwater was seen pouring down from a flyover in Mahipalpur on a flooded road.

While one more purported video showed people riding in a boat on the streets in Badarpur area.

However, PTI could not independently check the veracity of these videos circulaing on social media.

According to a PWD official, ''Today was the case of extreme weather condition. Due to high intensity rains, waterlogging occurred at a number of locations in the city. However, waterlogging complaints were being addressed without delay.'' He said the agency has prepared a list of 50 chronic waterlogging points and is working out temporary and permanent solutions for these critical areas.

Due to the waterlogging, the traffic police had to shut the Minto road underpass for vehicular movement.

''Traffic movement on Minto Bridge (both carriageway) has been closed due to waterlogging. Traffic diverted from Connaught Place towards Barakhamba and traffic coming from Kamla Market side diverted towards Deen Dayal Upadhyay Road,'' it said in a tweet.

Another Public Works Department (PWD) official said water was cleared from the Minto Road underpass within two hours.

''The stretch was opened for traffic within two hours. The depth of water was not much but it was shut as a precautionary measure by the traffic police. We have nine pumps and two additional pumps to tackle waterlogging there,'' the official said.

However, the Delhi government said due to its efforts, past incidents of vehicles getting submerged in rainwater at Minto Road underpass did not occur.

''Many vulnerable places did not witness waterlogging. We will ensure that there is no waterlogging in future despite heavy rains. The government will do whatever is required to stop waterlogging,'' it said in a statement.

Many key road stretches witnessed traffic jams due to inundation and these included Rohtak Road, Akshardham-Noida road, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur elevated road (Barapullah-2), Vikas Marg, Dhaula Kuan, the Ring Road near AIIMS and Moolchand, Ashram, Mathura Road, Jahangirpuri-Mukarba Chowk stretch and Sarai Kale Khan.

Serpentine queues of vehicles were seen on key arterial roads as traffic moved at snail’s pace due to waterlogging in morning and evening peak hours.

A commuter, Priya Mishra, said it was a ''complete chaos'' on the roads.

''Almost every road of the city be it VVIP areas of NDMC or vulnerable places like Minto Bridge underpass, was inundated today (Wednesday). I was stuck in a jam for over 30 minutes near ITO on Vikas Marg,'' Mishra said.

The heavy burst of rain, besides affecting traffic movement, also submerged low-lying areas in knee-deep water.

Such waterlogged areas included Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, surrounding areas of Lajpat Nagar Metro Station, Munirka, Moolchand Bus Stand, and Aurobindo Marg near the AIIMS flyover.

Surrounding areas of Jungpura Metro Station, Ring Road near Moolchand and Rohtak Road were among the places hit by waterlogging, according to traffic police and PWD officials.

PWD and municipal officials said that 282 complaints of waterlogging were received till Wednesday evening.

At least 27 instances of tree felling were reported on Wednesday while only two cases of portions of wall collapse were reported, they said.

An official said a tree was uprooted due to rains near the resident of the Prime Minister on Lok Kalyan Marg leading to traffic snarls.

In a series of tweets earlier in the day, the traffic police issued advisories for commuters, mentioning the roads facing traffic obstructions due to waterlogging.