Old Railway Bridge in Delhi to be closed from Tuesday as Yamuna nears danger mark

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has ordered the closure of traffic movement on the Old Railway Bridge from Tuesday evening, as the Yamuna River is expected to reach the evacuation mark of 206 metres.

Heavy discharge of water from the Hathnikund Barrage pushed the river level to 204.94 metres at the Old Railway Bridge at 5 pm on Monday, officials said.

The warning mark for Delhi is 204.50 metres, while the danger mark is 205.33 metres. Evacuation begins once the water level reaches 206 metres.

“In view of possible flooding in Yamuna River due to increase in its level beyond the danger mark, you are hereby directed to close down the traffic and public movement on the bridge with effect from September 2 at 5 PM,” read the order issued by the DDMA.

The order was marked to Delhi Police and Railways officials.

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Branches not separate trees: Delhi govt asks forest officials to follow legal definition of ‘tree’

The Delhi government has reminded its forest officials about the legal definition of a “tree” under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, saying that branches should not be counted as separate trees. The definition laid down in the law must be followed strictly to avoid confusion, the Conservator of Forests has said in a circular sent to Deputy Conservators of Forests in all divisions.

As per the Act, a “tree” is any woody plant whose branches spring from and are supported upon a trunk or body, and whose trunk or body is not less than five centimetres in diameter at a height of thirty centimetres from the ground level and is not less than one metre in height from the ground level. According to a forest department official, the order was issued as it was often seen that if a shoot was emerging from the soil, it used to be counted as a separate tree.