Heavy Rain Causes Traffic Chaos in New Delhi and NCR

New Delhi, August 8: On Friday, heavy rainfall struck New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), leading to flooded roads and severe traffic disruptions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that moderate to heavy rain would continue throughout the day, with a decrease expected starting Saturday. Light rain is anticipated over the next two days.

The worst flooding was observed on MB Road in South Delhi, particularly near the Air Force Station, where water levels reached nearly four feet. This caused vehicles to become stranded and traffic to come to a standstill. Significant flooding also occurred in nearby areas such as Okhla Mor, Khanpur, Devli, Ambedkar Nagar, and Sangam Vihar, resulting in extensive traffic jams. Reports indicate that several motorcycles and auto-rickshaws stalled after entering waterlogged streets. The Air Force deployed trucks to assist in navigating the flooded areas.

Traffic remained slow on several major routes, including ITO, Patel Road, Rohtak Road, Wazirabad Road, Kirti Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, the Delhi-Jaipur Highway, and around the Badarpur Border Metro Station. The submerged subways and roads further complicated travel for commuters.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, the continuous rain led to the collapse of nine houses and resulted in sixteen incidents of fallen trees. In a rescue operation, firefighters successfully evacuated three women trapped when a tree fell on their home. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries from any of these incidents.

By Friday morning, Safdarjung recorded 59.2 mm of rain, while Lodhi Road saw 60.4 mm. The Ridge area experienced 57 mm, with lower amounts reported in Ayanagar and Palam.

The impact extended to neighboring cities like Noida and Gurugram. In Noida, flooded roads caused significant traffic jams, with an ambulance stuck in a waterlogged underpass near the Mahamaya Flyover for over 30 minutes. In Gurugram, rainwater entered the basement of the civil hospital, forcing officials to suspend ongoing services.

–