Monsoon showers lead to waterlogging, traffic woes in Delhi

Areas such as Pul Prahladpur, Sarita Vihar, Tughlakabad, AIIMS, Aurobindo Marg, Dhaula Kuan and Inderlok, among others, were waterlogged, leading to traffic snarls.

Police officials issued warnings of waterlogging at the Pul Prahladpur railway underpass. Both carriageways remained shut for most part of the day and were reopened on Thursday evening.

Waterlogging in Delhi on Thursday. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

On account of flooding at Pul Prahladpur, a dense traffic was seen from Sarita Vihar to Badarpur. Waterlogging was reported at a small stretch of the Sarita Vihar underpass, slowing down traffic but not stopping it.

The police advised commuters from the Shooting Range direction to take a left from Lal Kuan signal and those from Badarpur to take the Mathura Road.

Meanwhile, waterlogging obstructed traffic near the Barapullah Flyover area. The police noted that the waterlogging was affecting traffic going from Lodhi underpass and AIIMS towards Sarai Kale Khan and DND and directed drivers to avoid the stretch. Later in the day, traffic in this area returned to normal.

Traffic on the IIT flyover towards Munirka was affected when a heavy transport vehicle broke down. As traffic was affected in South Delhi, officials also advised drivers to avoid the Aurobindo Marg route from IIT to Adhchini in both directions, the M B Road route from the Khanpur T point to Tughlaq Fort in both directions, and the Outer Ring Road from Chirag Delhi to Savitri Flyover.

On Tughlaqabad Road, from the Govindpuri side, waterlogging prompted commuters to cross on “thela gaadis” or hand carts, the owners of which charged Rs 15 a trip. There was waterlogging at three different stretches on the AIIMS roundabout.

Ahead of the monsoon season, the traffic police had said 1,100 personnel, road safety officers (RSOs) and two quick response teams will be deployed to facilitate traffic. “Towing cranes will be available 24×7 at different places of the city to deal with all kinds of problems due to waterlogging,” the Gurgaon traffic police said in a statement.

The police also noted that traffic movement was restricted at the Anand Parbat T-point and Zakira underpass near Inderlok, with the both directions affected by waterlogging and urged commuters coming from West Delhi to turn left from Inderlok towards Ring Road via Keshavpuram, Britannia and Azadpur Chowks. They also noted that PWD staff were working on the problem while Delhi Jal Board pumps were working to remove the water.

Officials also said that traffic on the Ring Road had been affected by waterlogging under the Dhaula Kuan flyover in both directions between Naraina and Moti Bagh and the Dhaula Kuan loops towards Gurgaon and Naraina.

While the Pragati Maidan tunnel was reportedly affected by waterlogging earlier in the day, only a few puddles were seen later in the afternoon with normal traffic movement.

In Gurgaon, traffic congestion was reported at Basai Chowk, near Sector 4-5 Chowk, IFFCO Chowk and on NH-48 near Khandsa towards Jaipur due to waterlogging.