New Delhi, Aug. 24 -- Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds disrupted life across Delhi-NCR on Monday, flooding roads, slowing traffic to a crawl and affecting air travel, while Gurugram authorities ordered schools to shift classes online and advised corporate offices to allow employees to work from home on Tuesday. Several parts of Delhi recorded close to 70 mm of rain during the day, while Gurugram also received about 70 mm by early afternoon. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast more rain overnight and issued alerts for the national capital, with winds reaching 30-40 kmph in some areas.
The showers provided relief from the humidity but quickly left roads, markets and residential areas waterlogged. In Delhi, flooding was reported at New Ashok Nagar Metro station, Burari, CR Park, Alaknanda, Sangam Vihar, Bhalswa and Sadar Bazar. Kamla Nagar market was also affected, while water accumulated around Bhairon Marg, ITO, Mathura Road and the inner and outer circles of Connaught Place.
Sangam Vihar saw some of the most difficult conditions, with videos showing at least a dozen students wading through waist-deep water. Similar conditions were reported in Sadar Bazar, while commuters struggled through the Zakhira underpass. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper around Sarai Kale Khan, Dwarka Expressway, Bishambar Das Marg, Parliament Street, ITO and Connaught Place. Ghazipur and Sainik Farms were also affected by waterlogging.
The rain exposed problems on roads as well. Residents of Greater Kailash said potholes became difficult to identify after filling with water. "Once the potholes fill with rainwater, you cannot judge their depth. It becomes particularly dangerous for two-wheelers," a resident said. Another commuter said waterlogging during heavy rain was expected, but potholes in residential areas should not become hidden hazards.
Rainfall varied sharply across Delhi. Ayanagar recorded 69.1 mm between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, while Palam received 58.2 mm, Ridge 43.2 mm, Lodi Road 41.7 mm and Safdarjung 34.6 mm. Other readings included Janakpuri at about 67-70 mm during the intense spell, Chhatarpur at 57 mm and Pitampura at 35 mm. Earlier readings showed Chhatarpur receiving 28 mm, Lodi Road 24.6 mm and Pitampura 18.5 mm between 8.30 am and 11.30 am.
The rainfall has pushed Delhi's seasonal totals above normal at several observatories. By August 24, Safdarjung had received 246.2 mm against a normal 191.1 mm, an excess of 29 per cent. Palam's 227.2 mm was 28 per cent above normal, while Lodi Road's 233.2 mm was 22 per cent above normal. Ridge recorded 243 mm, 50 per cent above normal, and Ayanagar received 266.3 mm, 66 per cent above normal.
At Indira Gandhi International Airport, bad weather disrupted flight operations. At least 15 Delhi-bound flights were diverted, including 12 to Jaipur, two to Chandigarh and one to Lucknow. Three of the diverted flights were international. Flight-tracking data showed 26 cancellations and more than 400 delays. IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet advised passengers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport. IGIA handles more than 1,300 flight movements a day.
Gurugram faced severe disruption after roughly an hour of heavy rain. Narsinghpur, Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, Railway Road, Sector 5, Old Delhi Road, Mehrauli Road and Basai Road were among the worst-hit locations. Naharpur underpass, Sheetla Mata Road and a stretch of the expressway near Cyber Hub opposite Gateway Tower Metro station were also submerged.
School buses and ambulances were stranded on Sohna Road, while buses remained stuck for hours near Rail Vihar in Sector 47 and Subash Chowk. A resident said on X that their child had been trapped in a bus for more than four hours. Traffic police deployed personnel to manage congestion near the Sirhaul border, Rajiv Chowk and Narsinghpur, and used drones to monitor flooded roads and identify sensitive locations.
The Gurugram administration responded by advising corporate and private offices to allow employees to work from home on August 25. Government and private schools and other educational institutions were also directed to conduct classes online, citing student and staff safety and the likelihood of further waterlogging and congestion. Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh said the work-from-home measure would also allow civic agencies to carry out road and drain repairs.
Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya and Additional Municipal Commissioner Yash Jaluka inspected affected areas with officials from the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority and the National Highways Authority of India. Dahiya directed teams to keep pumping arrangements active and reach waterlogged locations quickly.
The disruption extended beyond Delhi-NCR. Faridabad recorded 58 mm of rain, while heavy showers affected parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Ghaziabad saw severe waterlogging and traffic congestion, with an auto-rickshaw overturning after hitting a pothole. In Rajasthan, Jaipur and several districts including Alwar, Dholpur, Karauli, Bharatpur and Dausa received heavy rain. Moti Dungri Road in Jaipur was submerged, while Kherthal-Tijara and Kishangarhbas saw flooding.
In Himachal Pradesh, 98 roads were closed, including 49 in Mandi and 28 in Kullu. Twenty-one power transformers and 21 drinking water schemes were also disrupted. Odisha saw particularly heavy rainfall, with Joda recording 169.4 mm, Papadahandi 158.8 mm and Paikmal 120 mm. Eight locations received more than 100 mm.
The IMD attributed Delhi's intense spell to the interaction of a middle- and upper-level western disturbance with a lower-level trough extending from a low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal towards southwest Uttar Pradesh. The agency forecast another spell of light to moderate rain overnight, with isolated heavy rain of 20-30 mm possible. Meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya said nearly 70 per cent of Delhi could receive moderate rain on Tuesday, although "the weather activity might not be as strong as it was today."
Delhi's maximum temperature remained below normal, with Safdarjung at 32.3degC, while the minimum was 27.8degC, 1.4 degrees above normal. The IMD expects conditions to become largely dry from Tuesday, though very light rain may occur in the afternoon, followed by light showers at a few places on Wednesday and isolated moderate rain later in the day.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.