Traffic police seek end to waterlogging at 26 spots in Delhi

Despite claims of drain desilting, 26 Delhi locations faced prolonged waterlogging after the August 24 rain, prompting the traffic police to seek urgent action

The Delhi Traffic Police has identified 26 locations where waterlogging lasted for more than an hour following the downpour on August 24 and directed agencies to act on these points urgently to prevent such flooding in the future. In some parts of south Delhi, the water took up to five hours to recede, the report said.

Waterlogging on a Delhi NCR road after heavy rain (Arvind Yadav/HT)

In the second week of July, PWD minister Parvesh Verma had said more than 95% of drains across the city had been desilted. However, the latest traffic police report dated August 25, sent to all civic agencies, lists several recurring waterlogging points, including major roads in south, central and west Delhi.

Delhi received an average of 34.6mm rainfall till late afternoon on August 24, according to the India Meteorological Department. While the rain largely stopped by around 3pm, its impact continued well into the evening, with waterlogging causing traffic snarls at multiple locations.

Water takes hours to recede in parts of south Delhi

Major traffic congestion was reported on the Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, particularly in south Delhi. Traffic chaos affected stretches of the Ring Road between Sarai Kale Khan and Lajpat Nagar via Ashram Chowk, South Extension and Safdarjung Hospital, as well as the area around Dhaula Kuan, leaving commuters stuck in hours-long jams.

The traffic police report, seen by HT, said traffic movement was adversely affected at 26 locations because of waterlogging.

Agencies asked to act on flood-prone stretches

Importantly, it noted that some of these locations had experienced “waterlogging in 2024, 2025 or the current year”. The traffic police has asked the New Delhi Municipal Council, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, Delhi Development Authority and National Highways Authority of India to immediately “undertake necessary works to prevent further waterlogging”.

The agencies did not respond to HT’s requests for comment.

According to a senior police officer, the report on these 26 locations was shared with Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu during a meeting on Tuesday. “All representatives of the departments were present and they have been asked to work on these points specifically,” the officer said.