Heavy rain triggers traffic jams in Delhi

The season’s heaviest rainfall so far caused traffic snarls in many parts of the city on Sunday along several stretches such as IP Estate Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, and Dhaula Kuan due to waterlogging and uprooted trees.

The city traffic police released an advisory in the morning, asking commuters to avoid waterlogged roads and those in which trees has fallen.

“Waterlogging reported at following places: IP Marg, Mayapuri Chowk, Panchkuian Road Gol Chakkar, Zakhira towards Inderlok under railway line, Apollo towards Ashram near U-Turn, Modi Mill towards Lala Lajpat Rai Market,” the traffic police tweeted in the morning.

At least 20 trees were uprooted across the city, throwing traffic into disarray across several key stretches, including Ring Road near the World Health Organization (WHO) office, near which at least six shanties in a slum cluster collapsed due to the inundation.

As of Sunday evening, traffic has been opened up in all the stretches, except for Ring Road near the IP flyover. “Motorists are requested to check the traffic updates while planning their trip especially when it rains,” Delhi Traffic Police said in a statement on Sunday evening.

The fire department said it received reports of trees being uprooted in areas such as Max Mueller Marg, Malcha Market, Deepali Chowk, Shivaji Stadium, Jwalaheri Market, Aurobindo Marg, Shanti Van, Aurobindo Chowk, Hansraj Gupta Marg, Hindu Rao roundabout towards Baraf Khana roundabout, and Mathura Road near Supreme Court gate number eight.

Traffic police officers said, it was fortunate the rains were reported on a Sunday, when there is usually lesser traffic on the road.

”I was travelling towards Connaught Place via Vikas Marg. There was heavy traffic in Laxmi Nagar since some pipeline work is going on right on the main carriageway, leaving little space for vehicles. Also, there was a traffic jam from the Vikas Marg red light till the main ITO intersection. I had to turn right on the Ring Road and reached CP through Ranjeet Singh flyover,” said Anand Kumar, a graphic designer, who lives in Surajmal Vihar.

Rain affected traffic movement in areas such as Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Ring Road towards Bhairon Road, both carriageways of Ring Road under Dhaula Kuan flyover, both carriageways Gurugram Road - Pared Road Road, near Mundka Metro Station, Minto Road, Vinay Marg, Moolchand underpass, and Barakhamba Road.