Widespread waterlogging, major traffic snarls on key roads

congestion on major roads like the Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, Aurobindo Marg, Tilak Bridge, Rohtak Road, and Minto Road. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

The deluge proved too much for the city’s infrastructure, as several key arterial routes were inundated, causing massive traffic disruptions. Commuters found themselves stranded for hours, with the Traffic Police reporting congestion on major roads like the Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, Aurobindo Marg, Tilak Bridge, Rohtak Road, and Minto Road, among others.

The flooding of underpasses and bridges in the capital city, even after just a few hours of pre-monsoon rain, highlighted the poor workmanship and the “gross ineptitude of the Indian bureaucracy,” as one observer put it.

One killed, eight injured as airport’s terminal structure gives way

Amidst the chaos, a tragic incident unfolded at the IGI Airport’s Terminal 1, where a portion of the canopy at the old Departure forecourt collapsed around 5 am. The collapse, which occurred as over 148 mm of rain pounded the city, resulted in the death of one person and left at least eight others injured.

A tragic incident unfolded at the IGI Airport’s Terminal 1, where a portion of the canopy at the old Departure forecourt collapsed around 5 am. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

“Due to heavy rain since early this morning, a portion of the canopy at the old Departure forecourt of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 collapsed around 5 am…As a result of this incident, all departures from Terminal 1 are temporarily suspended, and check-in counters are closed as a safety measure,” a Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson said.

The injured were rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital for treatment, while the airport authorities suspended all departures from Terminal 1 until 2 pm. Flights scheduled to depart after 2 pm were shifted to Terminals 2 and 3.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu rushed to the site and later met the victims at the hospital. He assured a thorough examination of the terminal’s structure by experts to ensure safety. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was closely monitoring the situation and had assured the minister of full support.

LG calls emergency meeting, orders de-silting of drains

The Delhi government swung into action, with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena convening an emergency meeting with all the concerned agencies, including the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Jal Board, municipal bodies, and the Delhi Police, to review the situation.

Saxena issued a slew of directions, including the establishment of a 24×7 emergency control room, the testing and activation of all static pumps, the procurement and deployment of additional mobile pumps, and the expedited desilting of all drains in the next one week. He also ordered the removal of debris and obstructions from the drains to ensure free flow of water.

PWD, civic bodies tasked with clearing waterlogged areas

The PWD, which had received over 100 complaints of waterlogging by early Friday, said it would complete the remaining desilting work across the city by June 30. However, the situation on the ground painted a different picture, with several residential and commercial areas, including the affluent Defense Colony, completely submerged.

“Many areas are completely waterlogged, the basements are full of water, desilting work has not taken place but the situation is much worse in Defense Colony,” Sharaf Sabri, president of the Jangpura Extension Resident Welfare Association, told The Indian Express.

Vijay Kumar Bharadwaj, president of the Defense Colony A block’s Resident Welfare Association, echoed similar concerns, stating that the area had over 300 complaints and that the basements were waterlogged up to 4-5 feet, leading to power cuts.

The inundated Pragati Maidan Tunnel in New Delhi on Friday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

The chaos in the capital was not limited to just the roads and residential areas. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation also reported disruptions on two routes due to the heavy rains, with the entry and exit at the Yashobhoomi Dwarka Sector-25 station closed and the shuttle service from Delhi Aerocity to Terminal 1-IGI Airport suspended.

Political blame game erupts amid chaos

The chaos in the capital has also sparked a political blame game, with the Congress criticizing both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their failure to address the city’s pressing problems, including the perennial issue of water. -logging.

BJP Councilor Ravinder Singh Negi rowing an inflatable boat. (X@ANI)

BJP Councilor Ravinder Singh Negi took to rowing an inflatable boat amid severe waterlogging as a symbolic protest against the Delhi Government. He said, “All PWD drains are overflowing. They didn’t get it cleaned ahead of Monsoon. This has led to waterlogging…Vinod Nagar has submerged.”

Meanwhile, AAP demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for the kin of the man killed in the airport terminal collapse. A party spokesperson said: “We demand that the kin of the deceased be awarded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for those who were injured in the incident.”

As the southwest monsoon continues to advance, the authorities in Delhi will be put to the test, and the capital’s resilience in the face of such weather events will be closely watched.