Yamuna may hit danger mark in Delhi on Tuesday: Advisory

Delhi considers a water level of 204.5m at the Old Railway Bridge as the warning level while the danger level

The water level mark in the Yamuna will likely cross the danger mark (205.33 metre) on Tuesday even as more than 150,453 cusecs of water was released from Hathnikund barrage in Haryana’s Yamuna Nagar, according to an advisory issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on Sunday.

Yamuna was flowing at 203.62m at 9pm on Sunday. (HT Archive)

CWC the flood forecast said that the Yamuna was flowing at 203.62m at 9pm on Sunday and according to current indications, the water level will rise in the coming days to reach 205.5m between 11am and 1pm on July 11, after which it will stabilise.

Water discharged from the barrage usually takes around 48 to 72 hours to reach Delhi, officials said. The water level at Old Railway Bridge is considered a standard benchmark to assess the flood situation in the Capital.

Delhi considers a water level of 204.5m at the Old Railway Bridge as the warning level while the danger level, which prompts evacuation efforts of those living along the banks of the river, is marked at 205.33m.

The highest recorded water level attained by Yamuna was 207.49 meters on September 6, 1978. The water released towards Delhi is regulated from the Hathnikund barrage located 228km upstream of Delhi.

Delhi minister Atishi on Sunday said that Delhi has also received 20% of its annual rainfall over the last 24 hours and the preparations at Yamuna floodplains will be inspected on Monday.

“We are keeping a close eye on the Yamuna water levels,” said Atishi.

The minister said all the flood control officers related to Yamuna management were inspecting the floodplains and from Monday morning onwards, she will review the sites where evacuation and relief camps will be developed.

A government official said that all the sector officers have been advised to keep a vigil in their respective areas and to take necessary action on vulnerable points.

“Sector officers and district administration will be carrying out announcements and deploy quick reaction teams to warn those residing within the river embankment or Yamuna pushta. Boats will be deployed in low-lying areas to prevent any loss of life” a senior official added.

The five flood-prone districts of Delhi include northeast, east, north, central and southeast districts. It is estimated that around 37,000 people live in the Yamuna floodplains but only a few low-lying areas are earmarked to be vulnerable. These low-lying areas include areas around Old Iron Bridge, Usmanpur Pusta, Kisan Basti towards ISBT, Kisan Basti towards Seelampur, Garhi Mandu village, MCD toll at Sonia Vihar, Annapurna Mandir, Sabhapur bus terminal and Badarpur Khadar Village

Yamuna levels and waterlogging

The high levels of water in Yamuna also led to a reduced capacity of the city’s drainage system to tackle waterlogging. “When the Yamuna level rises above 205m level, the waterlogging situation worsens and Delhi’s topography prevents gravity-based flow to larger drains managed by the irrigation and flood department, which carry the excess water to the river,” said a PWD official, requesting anonymity.

“The drains managed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi carry the excess runoff from colonies to PWD drains. PWD drains carry this excess water to much bigger drains like Barapulla and Najafgarh connected to the river,” the official added.

Besides Najafgarh and supplementary drains, there are around 17 more drains that carry waste water into the river such as Delhi Gate drains, Mori Gate drain, Shahadra drain, Jahangirpuri drain, etc.

Another senior government official said that the Najafgarh drainage system witnessed several instances of high water levels in 1977, 1978, 1988, 2011, and 2013.

“During this period, a heightened level of vigil is maintained on river embankment when a large volume of water released in the river upstream and heavy rainfall in the catchment area can lead to river attacking its embankments. so, additional measures need to be taken to check abnormal erosions. The regulators constructed at mouths of MCD drains, which out fall into Yamuna, will have to be operated from time to time to pump out the drainage. This is especially true in case the river is in high flood and heavy local rainfall occurs to prevent backflow from high river stage,” the official added.

Another 1,05453 cusec water was released from Hathnikund barrage at 4:00pm

The water level of Yamuna has increased from 203.45 m at 4:00pm to 203.62m at 9:00pm