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Yamuna flooding: Loha Pul shut for traffic till Wednesday
New Delhi
New Delhi
The Delhi Traffic Police on Monday closed the Loha Pul (Old Iron Bridge) for vehicular movement in view of the rising level of the Yamuna.
Senior traffic officials said the bridge is likely to remain shut for traffic for the next 74 hours. Traffic will diverted via northeast Delhi’s Shastri Park.
“We had a meeting with the chief minister and the district magistrate of the area. Looking at the rising water levels of the Yamuna, it was decided traffic will be diverted from the Old Bridge,” a senior traffic official said on Monday.
The official said the diversion, put in place from Monday afternoon, is likely to continue till Wednesday looking at the situation. He said the bridge is closed for traffic but supervised pedestrian movement is being allowed.
“We closed the bridge for traffic before during similar situations. The administration is shifting people living in low-lying areas around the river,” the official said.
The Old Iron Bridge, considered the oldest in the city, links parts of north, central and Old Delhi. Officials managing vehicular movement on the bridge said traffic jams were reported in areas around Mudrika Marg leading towards the bridge and Pushta Road.
The situation this year is much better compared with previous years because of the Signature Bridge, which was inaugurated last year.
“After Signature Bridge opened, many people going towards northeast Delhi use that route instead. Much of the chaos was averted today because of this new route,” a traffic constable managing traffic near Loha Pul said.
