New Delhi: The monsoon season has once again laid bare the fragility of Delhi’s road infrastructure, with potholes, cracked bitumen, and waterlogged stretches creating daily hazards for commuters. Across the city, motorists are forced to navigate treacherous patches, leading to slow-moving traffic, near-miss accidents, and mounting frustration, even in upscale neighbourhoods like Greater Kailash and Alaknanda.
Residents report that commuting has become a gamble during rainy spells. Rita Sharma, a resident of GK II, said, “Even in posh areas like GK, the roads are in terrible shape. We spend hours stuck in traffic because of broken surfaces and waterlogging. Potholes hidden under puddles are a constant risk, and every trip feels dangerous.”
Two-wheelers are particularly vulnerable. Akash Singh, a bike courier near Dwarka, described his daily ordeal, “I hit a deep pothole two days
bacak and almost lost control. The rain worsens the problem, water hides the depth of craters, and even small mistakes can cause accidents.”
Adarsh, a resident of Palam shared, “It is very risky to go on road in car during this season. Because of the waterlogging, it’s hard to see the pothole. The condition of roads are so bad the it worsen the situation.”
The situation is especially dire on the Savitri flyover, a major arterial connector in south Delhi linking areas like CR Park, Kalkaji, Tughlakabad, and Alaknanda. Despite resurfacing between late June and mid-July, the 1.5 km elevated stretch is riddled with cracks and potholes, leaving commuters struggling during peak hours. Swapnil Raj, who drives across the flyover daily, said, “PWD repairs this flyover multiple times a year, but the work doesn’t last. Within weeks, the road cracks again. Even in well-to-do neighbourhoods, commuting is stressful and risky.”
Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) underscores the dangers. In 2023 alone, pothole-related crashes claimed over 2,100 lives nationwide. Rainy-day accidents killed 13,734 people, with tens of thousands more injured, highlighting the deadly impact of inadequate road maintenance during monsoon months.
PWD officials attributed recurring damage on stretches like the Savitri flyover to weather constraints. “Proper resurfacing requires two consecutive dry days. If work is done during rains, the surface deteriorates quickly,” an official said.
Commuters say the problem is not limited to a single road. “Traffic jams, danger to life, and wasted hours, this happens even in posh areas like GK and Alaknanda. Temporary fixes don’t solve the underlying issue,” asserted Asha, a resident of Greater Kailash.
As the monsoon continues, Delhi’s road network faces renewed scrutiny. Thousands of motorists daily negotiate crumbling roads, potholes, and waterlogged stretches,
calling for durable solutions rather than short-term patchwork to prevent accidents and ease traffic woes.