Delhi: Traffic jams, waterlogging return with monsoon; waterlogging in Pragati Maidan tunnel belies PWD claims

Delhi welcomed the first monsoon showers on Thursday morning which provided much-needed respite from the oppressive heat.

The India Meteorological Department said the southwest monsoon further advanced into Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmiri, some parts of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan on June 30.

"The northern limit of monsoon now passes through Deesa, Ratlam, Tonk, Sikar, Rohtak, Pathankot," it said.

The southwest monsoon usually arrives in the national capital on June 27 and covers the entire country by July 8.

Most parts of the capital reported a good spell of rain.

The showers, however, brought the familiar sight of snaking lines of vehicles stuck on waterlogged roads for interminable minutes.

Many officer-goers reported late for office and several people posted their plight through videos and photographs on social media, some seeking help from police.

"Movement of traffic has been restricted at railway underpass Pul Prahladpur. Both the carriageways are closed due to waterlogging," the traffic police said.

Several parts of Delhi like ITO, Barapullah, Ring Road and the capital borders, specially Delhi-Noida border, Chilla Border, UP Gate, Delhi-Gurugram road experienced heavy traffic as rains lashed the national capital.

Waterlogging was reported near Pragati Maidan, Delhi-Meerut Expressway near Vinod Nagar, Pul Prahaladpur underpass, IP Estate in front of WHO building, under Zakhira flyover, Jahangirpuri Metro station, Loni Road roundabout and Azadpur market underpass.

The newly inaugurated Pragati Maidan tunnel reported waterlogging. Traffic moved at a slow pace due to waterlogging in the tunnel, which connects India Gate with the Ring Road.

Earlier this month, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said the Delhi government is ready to combat waterlogging on a war footing and it is focussing on solving the problem with micro planning.

There was no immediate reaction available from the Public Works Department (PWD) regarding reason of the waterlogging inside the tunnel, who had earlier claimed automatic pumps along with seven underground sumps have been constructed in the tunnel for swift discharge of the water. A new drainage network of wider pipes with high water discharge capacity has been laid in and around the tunnel to discourage waterlogging, they had stressed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on June 19 inaugurated the city's first 1.3-km long tunnel and five underpasses as part of Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project that aims to ease connectivity between central Delhi with eastern part of the city and satellite towns of Noida and Ghaziabad.

The tunnel starts near National Sports Complex of India (NSCI) on Purana Qila Road and passes underneath the redeveloped Pragati Maidan to culminate at the Ring Road near Pragati Power station.

The IMD has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy rainfall in some areas in the city on Thursday and moderate rainfall on Friday. The maximum temperature will come down to 34-35 degrees Celsius.

Last year, the IMD had forecast that the monsoon would arrive in Delhi nearly two weeks before its usual date. However, it reached the capital only on July 13, making it the most delayed in 19 years.

Weather experts say a gap of three to five days is considered normal.

According to IMD data, the monsoon covered Delhi 29 times in June and 33 times in July in the last 62 years.

The IMD had in 2020 revised the date of monsoon arrival in Delhi from June 29 to June 27.

Weather experts have said the monsoon is expected to yield good rainfall in Delhi in the first 10 days and help cover the rain deficit.

Since June 1, Delhi has received 67 per cent less rainfall than normal, putting it in the category of "large deficient" states.

(All photos by Vipin for National Herald)

(With inputs from PTI)