Delhi floods: CM Kejriwal directs officials to seek help of NDRF, Army

The overflowing waters of the Yamuna River in Central Delhi have reached the entrance of the Supreme Court, causing significant damage and exacerbating an already dire situation.

The regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department near Indraprastha suffered damage, leading to flooding in the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat area.

In response to the situation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi have directed the chief secretary to seek assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army to prevent further flooding. Kejriwal plans to visit the site to assess the extent of the damage.

The Irrigation and Flood Control team have been working to construct a weir at a drain to mitigate the flooding, but water is still entering the city. Atishi has called for the involvement of all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army if necessary. The chief secretary has been instructed to provide hourly reports to the Chief Minister, the Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, and the Revenue Minister.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has emphasised the need for immediate action regarding the damaged regulator and has urged the chief secretary to prioritize resolving the issue.

Due to the compromised regulator, the Yamuna water is flowing back towards the city areas. Although the water level of the Yamuna has started receding, it stood at 208.42 meters at 8 am and decreased to 208.38 meters at 10 am.

The flooding in the ITO and Rajghat areas has led to traffic restrictions. The Delhi Traffic Police has announced the closure of Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover and advised commuters to avoid the area. The waterlogged ITO Road, an important route connecting East Delhi to Lutyens’s Delhi, has caused difficulties for commuters heading to their offices and the New Delhi Railway Station.

Some individuals were observed dragging their vehicles through the waterlogged ITO stretch. The flooding has raised concerns among commuters, as the heart of Delhi is now affected. Traffic movement has also been restricted on Bhairon Road near the Railway Under Bridge.

The traffic police have urged commuters to plan their journeys accordingly, as traffic movement is limited from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate due to the rising water level of the Yamuna River. (With inputs from PTI)