Yamuna waters level remains over danger level in Delhi

The government on Sunday asked people living in at-risk localities to move to relief camps amid the threat of flooding and disruptions this week due to expected rains

The Yamuna waters level remained over the danger level, touching 206.54m at 8am on Monday, the Central Water Commission (CWC) said, a day after the river breached the point (206m) at which evacuations are ordered.

The river on Sunday breached the point (206m) at which evacuations are ordered. (Hindustan Times)

The government on Sunday asked people living in at-risk localities to move to relief camps amid the threat of flooding and disruptions this week due to expected rains.

The commission said the water level was expected to be around 206.42m by Monday afternoon, above the danger mark of 204.5m. Evacuations of those living along the banks of the river are mandated when the river touches 205.33m level.

The train movement on the old Yamuna bridge was suspended and diverted to New Delhi Railway Station due to the rise in water levels on Sunday night. A spokesperson of the railways said the traffic resumed at 10:10am on Monday as the level receded.

By 11pm on Sunday, the river reached 206.46m. The river swelled close to the 207m level and caused flooding, and choked water treatment plants earlier this month.

The Yamuna was in spate following heavy rain upstream. Moderate rains were expected between Tuesday and Thursday.

Flood protection bunds were being constructed to prevent fresh flooding. As many as 60 teams have been deployed to keep a watch on potential points where water could overflow onto roads. Residents living in low-lying areas near the Yamuna have been evacuated and shifted to relief camps.

On July 13, low-lying areas such as Yamuna Bazar and ITO were flooded. Marshals on boats made public announcements urging people on Sunday to vacate low-lying areas on the floodplains.

Indian Navy teams continued operations to open jammed gates of the ITO barrage on Sunday. Two of the five jammed gates out of a total of 32 have been opened so far. Three gates remain jammed.

The water discharge into Yamuna dropped to under 50,000 cusecs on Sunday from 250,000 cusecs a day earlier at Haryana’s Hathnikund amid heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Haryana upstream as the monsoon remained active in much of north India.