Delhi floods: Knee-deep water at Rajghat, Vikas Marg shut for traffic
Water from the Yamuna river in Delhi flooded key stretches around Vikas Marg and Mathura Road, submerging several areas and causing traffic diversions.
After a drain regulator at central Delhi’s ITO broke down and five of the 32 gates at the barrage along the old ITO bridge were reportedly jammed, water from the Yamuna gushed to key stretches around Vikas Marg and Mathura Road late on Thursday night, also inundating Rajghat, Vijay Ghat, and Shanti Van, and submerging Mahatma Gandhi’s statue.
Knee-deep water level was reported at the Indraprastha bus depot and the Delhi Transport Corporation headquarters in IP Estate, next to the World Health Organisation building. A large portion of Bhairon Marg also flooded and traffic was diverted to other stretches, according to the Delhi Traffic Police.
Behind the WHO building, two urban slums of Anna Nagar and Sanjay Marg were submerged as well. Both areas have a combined population of around 8,000 people. People moved to the outer periphery of the colony and also shifted to neighbours’ homes soon after the flooding started.
“We have two more families living in our house. My house is higher, so the water reached only the fifth step. However, we still have to wade through water to get inside my house,” said 14-year-old Shivam Kumar.
Imran, who lives further inside the slum, said that though he was able to move to a secure location, the valuables he left behind will likely be damaged by the time the crisis was over. “I am camping at a friend’s house as the water rose suddenly. Our TV and cooler are still in the house and will definitely get damaged by the time the water recedes,” said Imran.
At the DTC headquarters, water was reportedly being pumped out on Thursday which stopped after the drain overflow started on Friday. This will now only be resumed after the drain is repaired.
Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department officials said that repair and management efforts were initiated within an hour after the regulator bent, by dumping gunny bags in the drain to create a bund.
“We had installed pumps at the office on Thursday but are not using them now as they are useless. The roads are already flooded and it can be useful to use pumps only later when the drain water reduces,” said a DTC official.
Meanwhile, electricity leakage was also reported from an electric pole on Bhairon Marg. Officials from the Public Works Department, however, said that there were only minor sparks that were rectified soon and nobody was injured.
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