Delhi Faces Waterlogging And Traffic Congestion Due To Heavy Rains

Owing to heavy downpour on Tuesday morning, several parts of the national capital are dealing with extensive waterlogging and traffic congestion. The most severely waterlogged road stretches across Delhi  include the one near Pragati Maidan in central and Dhaula Kuan in the southern part of the city.

The list of the affected stretches and areas also included Dhaula Kuan, Mathura Road, Moti Bagh, Vikas Marg, Ring Road, Rohtak Road, Sangam Vihar, Kirari and near Pragati Maidan among others.

Extensive waterlogging also led to traffic snarls in different locations of the city. Traffic moved at slow pace at ITO, underneath Moti Bagh metro station, Dhaula Kuan underpass, near Pragati Maidan, Mathura Road, Vikas Marg, Ring Road near IP Flyover, Rohtak Road among others.

Public Works Department (PWD) officials said waterlogging complaints were being dealt with priority.

“Morning rain was of high intensity so a few areas of the city witnessed waterlogging. Our field staff is on the ground and we are closely observing the situation,” a PWD official said.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Southwest Monsoon had reached the capital on July 13, which was 16 days behind the usual date of onset.

Normally, monsoon reaches Delhi by June 27. It covers the entire country by July 8. Last year, the wind system had reached Delhi on June 25 and covered the entire country by June 29.

The minimum temperature recorded at Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official reading of the city, was 25 degrees Celsius, two notches below the normal, the IMD said on Tuesday.

It said 100 mm of rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung Observatory in the past last 24 hours.

The relative humidity recorded at 8.30 am in the city was 100 percent, the IMD said.

The weatherman has predicted a generally cloudy sky with moderate rain and the possibility of thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds carrying a speed of 30-40 kmph later in the day.

The maximum temperature in the national capital is likely to hover around 30 degrees Celsius.

On Monday, the maximum temperature in the national capital settled at 33.1 degrees Celsius, a notch below the normal, and the minimum temperature at 28.3 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal. 

(With PTI Inputs)