On Saturday, heavy rains lashed many parts of Delhi. Thus, making it the wettest monsoon season in 46 years. As a result, it caused extensive waterlogging in the entire city including Indira Gandhi International Airport. Moreover, it disrupted the traffic on key roads and left passengers trapped in vehicles in flooded underpasses.
The people of the national capital woke to immense thunder and lightning on 11 September 2021. According to the weather department, the city recorded 117.9 mm rainfall from 5.30 AM to 2.30 PM.
It had recorded more than 100 mm of rainfall on two consecutive days at the start of the month – 112.1 mm on September 1 and 117.7 mm on September 2.
As many as 262 waterlogging complaints were received by the public works department and civic agencies. This is a common problem that Delhites face during the monsoon season. Additionally, an old building in Narela collapsed. The building was declared a ‘dangerous structure’ by the civic authorities but nobody was injured by the accident.
The forecourt of the Delhi airport was also waterlogged. Consequently, three flights were cancelled and five diverted to Jaipur and Ahemdabad. Additionally, images bombarded on social media showing submerged cars and people wading through water to reach the Delhi airport.
Speaking upon the matter, Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he spoke to airport officials. He commented that he “was told that the waterlogged forecourt was cleared up within 30 minutes.” In addition, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said the waterlogging at the forecourt was for a ‘short period’. Also, from 9 AM the operations at the airport were resumed back to normal.
Bad Situation For People in Delhi
The Aerocity area which is the house of multiple luxury hotels was also waterlogged. It was reported that people were trying to manoeuvre their cars through the accumulated water.
Furthermore, Delhi Fire Service safely rescued 40 passengers from a bus. The public vehicle was trapped under the Palam flyover due to the waterlogging. Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Service said “A bus with passengers on board got trapped at the underpass at Palam flyover due to waterlogging. Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot and all the passengers were rescued safely.”
In Mundka, 18 passengers from a trapped tempo and a truck were rescued successfully. Moreover, a call was received by the fire service from near the Mayapuri Metro area in west Delhi where a woman trapped inside the car was rescued by the fire-fighting team.
Waterlogging resulted in heavy traffic jams at busy road stretches, including ITO, Ring Road, Mukarba Chowk, Azadpur, Pul Prahladpur and Rohtak Road. The authorities had to shut traffic movement on the Pul Prahladpur underpass due to extensive waterlogging there.
Also, nearly 10 instances of trees falling were reported in the city.
Is Raining Cats And Dogs Usual in Delhi?
A highly unusual monsoon season this year has yielded 1,100 mm of rainfall in Delhi so far. It is the highest in 46 years, and almost double the precipitation recorded last year as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Safdarjung observatory, which is considered the official marker for the city, had gauged 1,150 mm of rainfall in the 1975 monsoon season. “This year, the precipitation has already hit the 1,100-mm mark and the season has not ended yet,” an IMD official said to TOI.
Normally, Delhi records 648.9 mm of rainfall during the monsoon season, according to the IMD. Between June 1, when the monsoon season starts, and September 11, the city normally gets 590.2 mm of rainfall.
The monsoon withdraws from Delhi by September 25.
CM Arvind Kejriwal On The Matter
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had last month chaired a meeting on the city’s drainage plan. He said that the national capital’s drainage system will be improved and made “world-class” and Delhi will “get rid of waterlogging.”
He had said that necessary changes as suggested by IIT Delhi will be made to “bolster” the city’s drainage system and make it foolproof as per TOI.
