Delhi govt issues flood warning for Yamuna; schools to remain close on Monday

The Delhi government issued a flood warning on Sunday as Haryana released more than one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna river from the Hathnikund barrage. The irrigation and flood control department said this was the first warning, with 1,05,453 cusecs of water discharged at 4 pm.

Normally, the flow rate at the barrage is 352 cusecs, but heavy rainfall in the catchment areas increases the discharge. The water from the barrage takes around two to three days to reach Delhi.

Authorities have been instructed to stay vigilant and take necessary action in vulnerable areas.

Quick response teams have been deployed to raise awareness and warn the people living near the river embankments, according to the department.

The Delhi government has set up 16 control rooms, including a central control room, to monitor the flood-prone areas and the water level of the Yamuna.

Earlier in the day, the Central Water Commission (CWC) said the water level in the river in Delhi is rising and is expected to surpass the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Tuesday.

According to the CWC's flood-monitoring portal, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge touched 203.18 metres at 1 pm on Sunday.

The warning level is 204.5 metres.

The water level is anticipated to rise to 205.5 metres between 11 am and 1 pm on Tuesday, the CWC said.

Delhi schools to remain close

All the schools in Delhi will remain closed on Monday in view of the incessant rain in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced. Delhi recorded 153 mm rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

An interaction between a Western Disturbance and monsoonal winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi, which experienced the season's first "very heavy" rainfall on Saturday.

"In view of the torrential rains in the last two days and keeping in mind the warnings of the meteorological department, all schools will remain closed on Monday," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

दिल्ली में पिछले 2 दिनों से हो रही मूसलाधार बरसात और मौसम विभाग की चेतावनियों को ध्यान में रखते हुए कल दिल्ली के सभी स्कूलों को एक दिन के लिए बंद किया जा रहा है।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 9, 2023

The Safdarjung observatory, the city's primary weather station, recorded 153 mm rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Sunday, the highest since the 24-hour rainfall of 169.9 mm on July 25, 1982, a senior IMD official said.

3,400 police personnel deployed 

More than 3,400 police personnel were deployed on Sunday at 50 locations in the city to manage traffic in view of waterlogging on several road stretches due to heavy rains for the second consecutive day.

There was waterlogging since the morning hours, which resulted in traffic snarls across the city, and the Traffic Control room received complaints regarding congestion, uprooting of trees, potholes and signals not working, according to officials.

Police personnel were deployed at intersections where signals were not working, they said and added that data collected by the traffic police showed that there were potholes at four major locations -- Bagga roundabout, on Ambedkar Road, Rail Bhawan to Windsor Place on Raisina Road and Adhchini on Aurobindo Marg.

They said power failure resulted in signals not working.

Trees were uprooted at six locations -- Kishanganj Railway Colony, Tara Chand Mathur Marg, Ajmeri Gate, 12, Janpath, Khan Market and Madarsa to JLN Marg, the officials said.

"Trees were removed along footpaths and central verges and traffic movement was managed in best possible manner. The operations at some locations are still going on and services of other departments are also being taken," a senior traffic official said.

According to the data, as at 4.40 pm, traffic congestion was witnessed at 54 locations of Delhi due to various reasons. These included roads in Geeta Colony, Mangolpuri Industrial Area, West Vinod Nagar, East Vinod Nagar, Adhchini traffic signal, Chilla Border, Azad Market, Mundka, Rajdhani Park, Nawab Ganj, Sant Nagar, Burari, Sarai Kale Khan, Nehru Vihar Crossing, Nigam Bodh Ghat, Paschim Vihar and Okhla Subzi Mandi.

Around "3,450 traffic police personnel were deployed who regulated the traffic in entire Delhi wearing rain coats and boots", the traffic department said.

"Messages through Traffic Control Room were also flashed to control rooms of other civic agencies like Horticulture Departments of NDMC, PWD, MCD, etc. They were also pressed into for using local resources, manpower and attending to the situation and calls with due alertness, alacrity and promptness," the traffic department said.

For traffic management, deputy and assistant commissioners of police and inspectors were directed to mobilise personnel, patrol teams and cranes to remove broken branches, uprooted trees and stalled vehicles.

Traffic congestion and waterlogging were also reported in parts Maharani Bagh Bus Stand, Nangloi Flyover, Mathura Road, Ring Road, Kapashera Chowk, Sarita Vihar, Bhairon Marg, JLN Stadium, Pragati Maidan, Civil Lines, Motilal Nehru Marg, Sunehri Bagh, Central Secretariat, Teen Murti, Satya Niketan, Chanakyapuri and RML hospital, the data showed.