Heavy rain throws normal life out of gear
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 29
Delhi-NCR faced severe waterlogging and traffic chaos on Thursday as relentless overnight rains caused a complete collapse of civic infrastructure across the region. The downpour, which began late Wednesday and continued into Thursday morning, inundated major roads, disrupted power supplies and left residents struggling to navigate the city.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that August saw an unprecedented 25 rainy days, the most in 13 years. With 378.5 mm of rainfall recorded so far, this month has already surpassed the previous high of 321.4 mm recorded in August 2013. The heavy rains led to severe waterlogging in various parts of the city, including key areas such as ITO, Geeta Colony, Delhi Cantonment and the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, leaving commuters stranded. “I commute daily from Badarpur to Noida for work, and this monsoon has been particularly difficult due to the waterlogging,” said Suraj Bahuguna, a commuter. “What usually takes me 20 minutes, took an hour today, with naked wires and flooded streets posing serious risks,” he added.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received 34 complaints of waterlogging and fallen trees within 12 hours. Power outages further added to the chaos, particularly in areas like Sainik Farms, where transformers burst due to the flooding.
According to the Safdarjung Observatory, Thursday’s rainfall amounted to 77 mm, bringing the season’s total to 825.5 mm, surpassing Delhi’s annual average of 762.3 mm. “Delhi has already exceeded its yearly rainfall average, with more rain expected,” said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services. The Delhi Police issued advisories on social media, warning commuters about waterlogged roads and advising them to plan their journeys accordingly.
