Riverside ghats, parks shut as water rises in Delhi

Families arriving for last rites were turned away, facing the grim dilemma of searching for alternatives.

As the Yamuna swelled to its highest levels since the devastating 2023 floods, ghats, parks and public spaces along its banks began shutting down on Wednesday. The rising waters inundated Delhi’s largest crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat and submerged manicured spaces such as Vasudev Ghat, Kalindi Aviral, Baansera Park and Amrut Biodiversity Park.

Vasudev Ghat submerged in over flowing Yamuna on Wednesday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

At Nigambodh Ghat, cremations came to a halt by Wednesday evening.

The water was inches from breaching the premises, forcing authorities to declare the closure of the Capital’s oldest and busiest cremation ground around 3pm. Families arriving for last rites were turned away, facing the grim dilemma of searching for alternatives.

“We were initially not turning people away, only warning them that obtaining cremains might be difficult or delayed. But by evening, the water level had risen dangerously close,” said Suman Gupta, general secretary of the Badi Panchayat NGO that manages the ghat. Another supervisor added, “Once the water breaches, the entire ghat will be overrun, making cremation impossible.”

By the afternoon, shin-deep rain water had already accumulated across the facility.

Nigambodh, with 120 traditional funeral platforms and six CNG-based furnaces, had also been forced shut for seven days during the July 2023 floods.

On Wednesday, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials confirmed that the Geeta Colony crematorium in East Delhi had been closed as well. “Families are being advised to go to Ghazipur, Panchkuian, Punjabi Bagh. Sarai Kale Khan is still functioning but a decision will be taken tomorrow,” the official said.

Beyond cremation grounds, floodwaters engulfed several riverside parks.

At Vasudev Ghat, the Yamuna had reached the Outer Ring Road, overwhelming sandbag barricades placed to protect the road. Experts warned the recurring flooding will cause extensive damage to lawns and plantations. “This is the second time Vasudev Ghat has been submerged. The ornamental plants and vegetation will not survive repeated inundation,” one official said.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) confirmed all parks in the Yamuna floodplains – Vasudev Ghat, Kalindi Aviral, Amrut Biodiversity Park and Baansera – had been shut as they were all submerged.

Environmentalists said the recurring damage underscored the flawed approach of treating floodplains as ornamental spaces. Activist Diwan Singh argued that manicured lawns, sculptures and exotic plants compromise the river’s ecology. “The Yamuna naturally reclaims its floodplains during monsoons. Only native floodplain vegetation should be allowed. These installations compact the soil, reduce groundwater recharge and die during floods, wasting public funds. A course correction is urgent,” he said.