Delhi drowns in downpour

New Delhi: Heavy rain threw traffic out of gear across several parts of Delhi on Thursday, with junctions packed with vehicles and chaos on several roads due to waterlogging.

From India Gate and ITO to Mandi House and south Delhi, commuters flagged long queues of cars, buses and three-wheelers, with several stretches witnessing little to no movement.

Complaints poured in on social media, with motorists seeking traffic police intervention as the rain worsened congestion on already busy roads.

Rain swept across Delhi on Thursday, with the skies appearing gloomy and overcast with dark clouds.

At Mandi House Circle, visuals showed vehicles packed tightly together. Commuters claimed that no traffic personnel were present to regulate the flow of traffic.

Heavy congestion was also reported at the India Gate circle, where a commuter said on social media that traffic had been stuck for nearly 30 minutes.

Around ITO, commuters reported congestion on the Vikas Marg-ITO stretch and on roads connecting ITO to the Supreme Court and Bharat Mandapam. Heavy traffic was seen near the Supreme Court as well.

In south Delhi, vehicles queued up from the Chirag Delhi red light towards IIT Delhi and Hauz Khas.

Commuters also flagged heavy traffic near the Ashram flyover exit towards Sarai Kale Khan and Sunlight Colony, while congestion near Okhla Phase 1 was allegedly worsened by encroachments and construction materials stored on footpaths.

Heavy congestion during end-of-school hours in Model Town was worsened by waterlogging. Responding to a complaint, the traffic police said the matter had been forwarded to the concerned traffic circle for action.

Waterlogging was reported near Mandi House and Geeta Colony, while heavy traffic snarls were also seen around Palam and AIIMS.

Dark clouds hung over the city through much of the day.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms prompted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an orange alert warning of further showers, lightning and gusty winds.

The weather department has forecast thunderstorms and rain in Delhi on Friday, October 16, indicating that the wet spell may continue for another day.

The IMD had warned of moderate to intense rainfall in parts of north and northwest Delhi, accompanied by winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph and gusts of up to 60 kmph. Other parts of the capital are also likely to receive lighter showers and thunderstorms.

The orange alert came amid a sudden change in weather conditions, bringing relief from the recent spell of warm days. The IMD forecast cloudy skies and moderate rainfall throughout the day.

The maximum temperature is expected to remain around 29 degrees Celsius, lower than the levels recorded earlier this week.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Hans India