By IANS,
New Delhi: For a second consecutive day, commuters in Delhi had a harrowing time as heavy rains flooded roads Tuesday, causing traffic snarls, while water also entered several shops and houses.
Torrential rains, which started around 4 p.m., resulted in chaos in traffic and flooding of streets at several key junctions. The India Meteorological Department recorded a total of 36.2 mm of rainfall between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m.
The arterial Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, which encircle the national capital, saw flooding at several places, resulting in traffic moving at snail’s pace. The situation was also bad on roads connecting Delhi to its satellite towns of Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad.
Ram Babu, who was caught unaware by the rains on the DND flyover that connects Delhi and Noida, said the rains were so heavy that visibility went down significantly.
“The rain was so heavy it was difficult to drive. It was like buckets being poured,” said Babu.
“There is a traffic jam on all major roads,” a Delhi traffic official told IANS.
Another commuter, who was stuck on his way to Indira Gandhi International Airport near Dhaula Kuan, feared missing his flight because of the rains.
“I think I will miss my flight if the traffic remains like this. I have been stuck here for at least half an hour,” said Rajiv Sabharwal.
South Delhi Mayor Sarita Choudhary, meanwhile, blamed non-cooperation from other civic agencies for the flooding of streets.
“We are doing all we can, but roads more than 60 ft. breadth have been taken away from us, what can we do,” Choudhary told IANS.
“MCD is doing its work but there is no coordination,” she said blaming other agencies like the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
North Delhi Mayor Meera Aggarwal, meanwhile, said that “due to a few hours of heavy downpour, streets might get flooded, but that is not due to storm water drains. There are various other reasons like halting of vehicles and non-functioning of traffic signals”.
Spokesperson for North and East Delhi Municipal Corporation, Yogendra Singh Mann had told IANS after Monday’s heavy downpour that overhauling of the city’s drainage system was needed to overcome the frequent flooding following heavy rains.
Similar weather conditions are expected Wednesday, with the IMD forecasting “generally cloudy sky and one or two spells of rain”.
The rains brought the mercury down and Delhi recorded a maximum temperature two notches below average at 31.8 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature early Tuesday morning was also a notch below average at 25.3 degrees Celsius.
The seasonal average of rain in monsoon in Delhi this year is 415.2 mm, 19 percent less than the average of 511.2 mm.
However, in the month of August, Delhi has so far received 304.9 mm of rain, which is 30 percent more than the average 235.1 mm for this period.