Heavy rainfall lashed parts of the national capital, causing widespread waterlogging and affecting the movement of vehicles. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed a long queue and slow movement of vehicles on the Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) flyway. The traffic congestion was a result of the waterlogged roads.
Delhi’s temperature dropped a few notches after the rain on Friday. However, the rainfall led to waterlogging in several areas, causing widespread disruption. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, alleging corruption in drain cleaning. He stated that Delhi has never witnessed such severe waterlogging, with the city experiencing waterlogged roads for 12-15 hours after just half an hour or an hour of rainfall. He blamed the three departments of the Kejriwal government — Jal Board, PWD, and MCD — for failing to clean the drains and accused them of corruption. Sachdeva demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, calling for accountability for the city’s waterlogging woes.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which oversees civic work in central Delhi, received 25 complaints of waterlogging. Officials reported complaints from various areas including Madhu Limaye Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, Africa Avenue, Gole Market, and Connaught Place. The Public Works Department (PWD) received 82 complaints of waterlogging, with 75 of them resolved. The department also received 15 calls about fallen trees.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Traffic Police issued alerts informing commuters about roads affected by waterlogging and sewer overflow and advised them to take alternative routes. The weather department has predicted a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rain on Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for the city till Sunday, forecasting rain until July 28. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 34 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.
