The water level in the Yamuna river at Delhi’s Old Railway Bridge stood at 207.48 metres at 7 am, even as floodwater from the raging river continued to inundate nearby areas.
Floodwaters reached near the Delhi secretariat, which houses the offices of the chief minister, cabinet ministers and key bureaucrats, PTI reported.
The areas in the vicinity of Vasudev Ghat were also flooded. Floodwater also reached the Shri Marghat Wale Hanuman Baba Mandir near Kashmere Gate.
The Old Railway Bridge serves as a key observation point for tracking the river’s flow and potential flood risks.
According to the revenue department, while 8,018 people have been moved to tents, 2,030 have been shifted to 13 permanent shelters.
Yamuna floodwater caused massive traffic jams in several key stretches of the national capital , bringing vehicular movement to a crawl at multiple points, including Kashmere Gate, Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and the Kalindi Kunj area.
The sudden inundation disrupted morning rush-hour traffic, leaving commuters stuck for long hours.
Several people took to social media and reported bumper-to-bumper traffic, saying that even short distances like two kilometres were taking hours to cover. Many said they had to leave their vehicles at home and shift to Delhi Metro to reach offices on time.
Traffic police said heavy congestion was reported along stretches near the Yamuna river, with several points submerged.
“Traffic jams were witnessed at Kashmere Gate, along the Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, and around Kalindi Kunj where floodwater accumulated on carriageways. Diversions had to be made to regulate movement,” an official said.
To manage the situation, the Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory for commuters, specifically urging those travelling from Chandgi Ram Akhara towards Rajghat to use alternate routes.
According to the advisory, vehicles have been asked to move through Signature Bridge, then take Pusta Road and Raja Ram Kohli Marg before proceeding towards Rajghat and other destinations. “This arrangement has been made to ensure smoother vehicular movement and to avoid congestion,” a senior traffic police officer said.
