India, July 29 -- Heavy rain brought Delhi to a standstill on Tuesday, inundating roads and markets, triggering widespread traffic congestion and forcing schoolchildren to wade through waist-deep water in some areas. As the downpour continued through the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for thunderstorms, lightning and intense spells of rain, while forecasting a generally cloudy sky with heavy showers for the rest of the day. Waterlogging was reported from Connaught Place, Janpath, Bharat Mandapam Road, Barakhamba Road, Mathura Road near ITO, Kalindi Kunj and several roads in Lutyens' Delhi. Large pools of water formed at major intersections, slowing traffic and leaving commuters stranded on several arterial roads.
Traffic jams were reported on NH-8 near Shankar Vihar, Zakir Hussain Road, the Delhi Cantt-Naraina Flyover-Mayapuri stretch, ITO, Old Rohtak Road, the Madhuban Chowk-Netaji Subhash Place stretch, Peeragarhi, NH-48 near AIIMS, Delhi-Noida Road, Kalindi Kunj, Vikas Marg, besides routes connecting Greater Kailash-II, Savitri Cinema, Chirag Dilli, Hauz Khas, RK Puram, Sangam Vihar and Khanpur via MB Road. One of the worst-hit locations was Sadar Bazar, where waist-deep water flooded narrow lanes. Schoolchildren, office-goers and shoppers were forced to wade through the water, while videos on social media showed some children being carried on their parents' shoulders. Rainwater entered several shops, disrupting business. The Sadar Bazar Traders' Association said the market remained waterlogged till evening, forcing many establishments to shut.
Rajendra Nagar, a major coaching hub, was also submerged, reviving memories of the 2024 basement flooding tragedy in which three civil services aspirants lost their lives. Several cars, motorcycles and auto-rickshaws were partially submerged. Between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm, Pusa recorded the highest rainfall at 80 mm, followed by Janakpuri (72 mm), Lodi Road (63.4 mm), Chhatarpur (57.5 mm), Safdarjung (51 mm), Ayanagar (50.1 mm), Naraina (44 mm), Ridge (37.3 mm), Mayur Vihar (33.5 mm), Palam (26 mm) and Jafarpur (8 mm), while Najafgarh received no rainfall during the period. Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 25.5 degree celcius.
Amid the rain, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta travelled in a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus to inspect water-logging-prone areas in Rohini and nearby localities. Reviewing drainage, road conditions and cleanliness, she directed officials to strengthen the drainage network and prioritise road repairs. "The roads of the capital are not merely a means of transport but are also an integral part of Delhi's identity," she said, adding that "development will be visible on the ground, not just in files," while stressing that providing Delhi with a "clean, safe, accessible and beautiful capital" remained the government's highest priority.
Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh shared a video from Minto Bridge, saying, "Rain is pouring relentlessly, but life on Minto Bridge is moving along at the same pace. The very effort is to ensure that the monsoon remains just a season, not a trouble." The rainfall also triggered a political exchange. AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj, sharing videos from Sadar Bazar, said, "Schoolchildren are being forced to pass through waist-deep rainwater," and accused the BJP government of poor monsoon preparedness. In Shahpur Jat, a large tree fell on two parked autorickshaws near August Kranti Marg around 1 pm after the rain. The drivers escaped unhurt as they had stepped away for break moments earlier. "It's a loss for us, but thankfully there was no loss of life or injury," one of the drivers said. Meanwhile, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said it received 38 rain-related complaints, including 19 cases of water-logging, six tree-fall incidents and 13 power outages, from areas such as Gole Market, Shahjahan Road, Krishna Menon Marg, Golf Links, Janpath, Connaught Place, Lodhi Colony, Sarojini Nagar, South Avenue and INA. NDMC Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal inspected vulnerable locations, including Africa Avenue, with senior officials. The civic body said all complaints had been resolved on priority and maintained that no major water-logging was reported within its jurisdiction despite the heavy rainfall.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.