Downpour dampener: Jams, waterlogging cripple life
13 July 2015 12:44 AM GMT
Traffic across the capital continued to crawl for the fourth consecutive day as streets remained flood in several <g data-gr-id="89">localities,</g> while uprooting of trees also crippled vehicular movement in many parts of the city.
The city relatively received less rain on Sunday compared to previous few days. “Till 5:30 PM today the city received 7.1mm of rainfall,” a MeT department official said, adding that there are likely to be more rains in the next few days.
Several localities along the Yamuna such as Yamuna Pushta, Yamuna Vihar and other adjoining areas remained flooded and authorities evacuated people to safe locations from some parts.
Over 90 waterlogging complaints were received from North Delhi areas such as Bawana Gaushala, Nangloi, Jama Masjid, East Patel Nagar, Mori Gate, Wazirabad, Rohini, Pitampura, Paschim Vihar.
As people faced hardship due to waterlogging, the Delhi government launched a blistering attack on the three BJP-ruled civic bodies for their “total failure” in <g data-gr-id="91">desiliting</g> drains in localities under their jurisdiction, while the Opposition party blamed the Public Works Department (PWD).
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Delhi has witnessed lesser waterlogging this year compared to the previous years, despite heavy rains lashing the national Capital for the past 36 hours.
The AAP government said that they have made proper arrangements to tackle waterlogging issue across the national Capital. “...Govts continuous monitoring and intervention. Much less waterlogging than last years. We’ll keep improving,” Kejriwal tweeted on Sunday.
AAP spokesperson Ashish Khetan alleged that the Municipal Corporations had “totally failed” to perform their basic duties of cleaning the drains, and called them “corrupt bodies”.
Delhi has been receiving heavy rains since Friday, causing waterlogging across the national Capital. Vehicular movement was affected in many areas such as ITO, Vikas Marg, South Extension, Nehru Place, Yusuf Sarai Market and Munirka, among others.
Rains have also led traffic crawling at various major intersections such as Kashmere Gate, Dwarka, Dhaula Kuan, Moolchand, Karkarduma, Rajghat, Kalindi Kunj among others.
BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said: “Many of these waterlogged roads for which BJP (MCD) is being blamed, actually belong to PWD and they should be held responsible.”
Public Works Minister <g data-gr-id="73">Satyendar</g> Jain had on Friday released a 24x7 centralised helpline [1800118595] where residents can register complaints about waterlogging.
Waterlogging was reported from across the city. South Delhi saw maximum such cases. Areas such as Najafgarh, Shyam Vihar, Palam Extension, <g data-gr-id="70">Kakrola</g>, Lajpat Nagar, CR Park and Kalkaji were waterlogged and people were seen wading through ankle-deep water.
Besides, tree falling incidents have been reported at various places such as Yamuna Vihar, Nand Nagari in east Delhi, Ashok Vihar and Rohini in north Delhi and Dwarka, Kapashera, Ambedkar Nagar among others in south Delhi, the civic bodies said.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation said it has geared up its control rooms for instant action on the complaints received during monsoon.
The control rooms are functional 24x7 and are well-equipped with manpower from <g data-gr-id="83">sanitation</g>, maintenance, building and horticulture departments. Besides 4-5 portable <g data-gr-id="84">pumpsets</g> are in operation for the purpose, it said.
In Gurgaon, waterlogging and snarls were reported from the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, Sushant Lok, DLF colony Sohna Road, MG Road and many areas of Old Gurgaon.
In Noida, <g data-gr-id="95">continuous</g> downpour forced traffic on all major roads to crawl. Waterlogging was reported from Dadri-Surajpur-<g data-gr-id="96">Chhalera</g> Road, Labour Chowk area, Arun Vihar and internal roads of Sector 63. The road connecting NH-24 with Sector 57 via Labour Chowk was flooded with rainwater as there is no drainage system in Khora, an unauthorised area adjoining Noida. As a result, Sectors 57, 62 and 58 areas were also waterlogged.
However, there was no waterlogging in the underpasses at Noida’s Sector 37, 18, City Centre and Rajni <g data-gr-id="74">Gandha</g> Chowk because the Noida authority has installed water pumping machines to drain out the <g data-gr-id="75">rainwater</g>.
Apart from causing waterlogging and snarls, the incessant rains led to incidents of trees falling, dysfunctional streetlight and traffic signals. Many vehicles broke down on roads, causing traffic jams.
Besides, the downpour led to at least two incidents of wall collapse in the NCR.
Met predicts no respite soon
The weatherman has forecast that more showers would lash the national Capital, where intermittent rains have disrupted normal life for the past four days. "Tomorrow, there will be <g data-gr-id="98">generally</g> cloudy sky. Intermittent rain/thundershowers would occur at few places while moderate to rather heavy rainfall would occur at isolated places," an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The city recorded 68.6 mm rainfall till 8.30 am and 7.1 mm showers since then till 5.30 pm, the official said. The showers brought down mercury significantly with the maximum temperature plunging to 26.6 degrees Celsius and the minimum <g data-gr-id="90">settling</g> at 23 degrees Celsius. Till Saturday, Delhi received 147.8 mm rainfall, the highest this season. Roads in many areas were submerged due to choked drains while traffic signals were not functioning in many areas. Rainwater flooded the basements of flats too.
Next Story
