Delhi Roads Underwater, Massive Jams, Metro Hit, Schools And Colleges Shut

The water level in the swollen Yamuna in Delhi rose further during the night, flooding homes, affecting public transport and prompting emergency measures.

The water level in Yamuna was 208.66 metres at 7 pm today as Hathnikund barrage in Haryana continues to release water into the river. The current water level is three metres above the danger mark.

The Arvind Kejriwal government had urged the centre to step in and stop the water discharge, but the centre replied that excess water from the barrage had to be released. The water discharge is expected to reduce later in the day.

The Haryana barrage has filled up due to very heavy rain further north in Himachal Pradesh. The monsoon has brought large-scale destruction in the hill state, bringing down homes and sweeping away bridges.

Over the last five days, the schedule of 342 trains have been hit by the flood. The Northern Railway had to cancel 140 trains.

In Delhi, the posh Civil Lines area was waterlogged. The waters are barely 350 metres from the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the state assembly. Waterlogging has disrupted traffic on several roads, including parts of the arterial Outer Ring Road. Traffic has been diverted to alternate routes, leading to massive jams.

Compounding challenges for those taking public transport, Metro services have also been affected. The Yamuna Bank Metro station on Blue Line has been shut owing to waterlogging on the approach road. Although operations on all lines remain normal, trains are running at a restricted speed on Metro bridges.

Following a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the Chief Minister ordered closure of all schools and colleges till Sunday. Government employees, except those in emergency services, have been asked to work from home. Private offices have also been advised to move to the WFH option.

Water services in some parts of the national capital will be affected as three water treatment plans have been shut down. Chief Minister Kejriwal has said attempts will be made to normalise water supply as soon as the waterlogging clears.

Several teams of the National Disaster Response Force are on the ground, evacuating those whose homes have been flooded. Visuals showed people being rescued on boats from areas where water is flowing at the chest level.

The Chief Minister has sought citizens’ cooperation for evacuation. “Saving lives most important. I appeal to all Delhiites to help each other in this emergency,” he tweeted.