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Swollen Yamuna sweeps away youth; Delhi parts marooned
25 trains cancelled, 36 diverted
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 11
Surging Yamuna waters claimed one life today and inundated areas situated close to the river in the Capital. The worst affected were low-lying northern and eastern parts.

One Deepak of Dilshad Garden drowned in Geeta Colony after he and his two friends, who were taking bath, were caught in the fast current. While his friends managed to swim to safety, Deepak (21) drowned, said the police. His body was not recovered till the last reports came in.

The water level had reached 206.78 metres in the evening, nearly two metres above the danger mark, and was showing no signs of ebbing. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the city had no threat from the rising Yamuna and there would be no repeat of 1978, a year when Delhi witnessed its worst flood crisis, even if the river reached the mark of 207.49 metres, a level it had touched in that year.

Monastery, a popular Tibetan market located near the ISBT, was closed down and many locals were seen travelling in boats. Floodwater has also entered Usmanpur, Yamuna Bazar, Jaitpur and a few villages.

Meanwhile, the floods have forced the Northern Railways to cancel as many as 25 trains and divert another 36. A Northern Railways spokesperson said the diverted trains included Kalka Mail, Shaheed Express, Garib Nawaz Express, Awadh Assam Express, Shalimar Express and Brahmaputra Mail. As many as 39 trains, including Satygraha Express, Lal Quila Express, Farakka and Howrah Janata Express have been short terminated, the spokesperson added. The 3111 Kolkata-Delhi Lal Quila Express train will be short terminated at Khurja and consequently its return service 3112 Delhi-Kolkata Lal Quila Express will originate from Khurja due to the closure of Old Yamuna Bridge for rail traffic.

The 3039 Hawrah-Delhi Janta Express train will be short terminated at Hathras and its return service 3040 Delhi -Hawrah Janta Express will originate from Hathras. The 3483 Malda Town-Delhi Farakka Express train will be short terminated at Tundla and its return service 3484 Delhi -Malda Town Farakka Express will originate from Tundla.