Delhi rains: Heavy downpour, thunderstorm leads to power blackouts, traffic snarls 

While Delhiites got some respite from heat due to heavy rains and thunderstorms on Monday evening, it led to blackouts in several parts of Delhi. Poles, electrical wires and other electrical installations were also damaged due to the thunderstorms and heavy rains, news agency PTI reported.  

Parts of North Delhi—Narela, Burari, Bawana, Civil Lines and Rohini—faced power disruptions due to the storm and felling of trees and branches on overhead electricity lines and poles. Short-circuit, sparking and outages also impacted power supply as wet and swinging tree branches came in contact with overhead cables, according to an official.  

He told the news agency, “The BSES discoms were on a high alert and pressed quick response teams into service. It took a little longer than usual for restoring electricity in some areas as tree cutting and removal was undertaken by civic agencies.” 

Trees were uprooted at Bhai Vir Singh Marg on Gole Market near the Nepal Embassy and Parliament Street police station and other areas, leading to obstruction of traffic. Traffic jams due to severe rain and thunderstorm were reported from Ashram, Ashoka Road, Connaught Place, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Lajpat Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Sarai Kale Khan among other places.  

Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) SS Yadav said that traffic police ensured that movement of ambulances near AIIMS, RML and other hospitals was not impeded due to the downpour and storms.  

He said, “Vehicular movement had obviously become slow but our teams ensured that ambulances near AIIMS, RML and other hospitals did not face any hurdle. No calls regarding ambulances being stuck were received.” 

(With agency inputs)