After showers, Delhi ends up in a gridlock

Traffic was thrown out of gear once again in the national capital on Monday as heavy rains led to water-logging in several areas, prompting the Delhi government to seek a report from police on the prevailing situation.

IMAGE: Vehicles stuck in a traffic jam following heavy rain at Delhi-Gurgaon expressway in Gurgaon. Photograph: PTI

Water stagnated mostly in the mouths of flyovers, underpasses and low-lying areas, giving commuters, especially office-goers, a harrowing team in the peak morning hours.

South Delhi was the worst hit with severe traffic congestion being seen at the stretch between IIT-Delhi and Munirka, Moti Bagh, Chirag Delhi, Saket, Modi Mill, Moolchand, South Extension, Yusuf Sarai, AIIMS, Lodhi Road, Andrews Ganj, Greater Kailash, Nehru Place and Jasola.

"The deputy chief minister called a high-level meeting on Monday, which was attended by senior officers including the joint commissioner of police (traffic). The Delhi police has been asked to furnish a report by Tuesday pointing out the worst hit areas and causes of continuing water-logging," a senior government official said.

He said Delhi traffic police has so far listed 29 areas that are prone to severe water-logging. Also, in the wake of the crisis, agencies concerned have been asked not to take up any road-cutting work till September 15.

IMAGE: Girls ride on a motorcycle through a flooded road. Photograph: PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party government and the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled municipal corporations, which had so far been trading charges, also announced helpline numbers for general public to report about water-logging.

A senior municipal official said, "Keeping in view monsoon rains, water-logging related problems in various localities are being noticed and round-the-clock helpline services are being provided."

"The complaints regarding water-logging, choking of drains and accumulation of garbage on the roads after rain can be registered through the helpline numbers. The complaints will be forwarded to the departments concerned for redressal at the earliest," he added.

The Delhi government has also opened a 24x7 helpline number (1077), a senior government official said.

IMAGE: Labourers hold umbrellas to protect themselves from rains. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI

Civil agencies had traded charges and indulged in a blame game over desilting of drains when a similar situation was witnessed in the national capital on Saturday morning.

Long tailbacks were witnessed in and around Pusa Road, Anand Parbat, Mundka, Janpath, Naraina, Mayapuri, Zakhira Flyover, Wazirabad, Badarpur border, Wazirabad, Okhla, Palam Flyover, Sectors 6 and 7 of Dwarka sub-city, Najafgarh and Peeragarhi.

The Gurgaon-Dhaulakuan route witnessed a choc-a-block situation as a tree fell on the road, blocking one carriageway, while heavy rain and a bus breakdown disrupted traffic on the other, a traffic official said.