Drain clean-up leads to traffic chaos in NFC in south Delhi

A major traffic jam in New Friends Colony ensued after silt from a drain cleaning was dumped, causing delays and congestion expected to continue.

A massive traffic jam gripped parts of New Friends Colony and nearby areas on Thursday evening — chaos that is expected to spill over into Friday morning — after mounds of silt from a major drain cleaning operation were dumped along a key stretch of CV Raman Marg, leaving only one lane open, traffic police officials said.

Mounds of silt from the drain cleaning were dumped on CV Raman Marg, leaving only one lane open. (Sanjeev Verma/HT photo)

According to Delhi Traffic Police officers, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) began clearing silt from the Taimoor Nagar drain — which recently saw a high court-mandated largescale demolition drive—on Thursday morning. But instead of being swiftly removed, the debris was left piled on the road near the connecting bridge, leading to severe bottlenecks. A bulldozer parked alongside the debris further choked the stretch, turning a two-lane arterial road into a single-lane snarl.

Traffic police said snarls began around 6-7pm on Thursday and stretched well into the night, with the gridlock spreading from CV Raman Marg to Mathura Road, Ashram, and other key routes. Commuters travelling from southeast Delhi to central and south Delhi faced delays of 20-30 minutes, officials said, warning of similar disruption during Friday’s morning rush.

“Due to the debris, we had to shut one side of the road. Traffic from Okhla and New Friends Colony to South Delhi is badly affected. We’ve alerted authorities and are working on diversions,” a senior traffic police officer said.

During a spot check, HT found vehicles inching through the narrow opening, with buses and trucks causing prolonged blocks. In some spots, frustrated drivers began using the wrong side of the road, worsening congestion in the bylanes.

Shiv Mehra, president of the Maharani Bagh RWA, said the cleaning was vital ahead of the monsoon but poorly managed. “The court ordered the drain to be cleared, and the silt takes time to dry before it can be lifted. But it should have been better handled to avoid public inconvenience,” he said.

The Taimoor Nagar drain, one of 22 recently transferred to the Irrigation & Flood Control Department (I&FC), has long been a source of flooding in colonies like New Friends Colony, Greater Kailash, Maharani Bagh, and Jangpura. I&FC officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Traffic police said narrow lanes, illegal parking, and encroachments along CV Raman Marg continue to complicate matters. “Despite repeated warnings, residents continue to park on both sides of the road. That worsens the impact of any disruption,” the officer added.