Delhi crawls home after downpour

A torrential downpour, the heaviest this year, inundated Delhi on Monday evening, killing at least one person and bringing traffic across the city to a total halt for hours. See popup

A torrential downpour, the heaviest this year, inundated Delhi on Monday evening, killing at least one person and bringing traffic across the city to a total halt for hours.

HT Image

Around 125.6 mm of rain came down within a few hours, sharply lowering the temperature and reducing the monsoon shortfall the city had been experiencing this season. But it also led to complete chaos as civic services virtually collapsed.

“I have been stuck at the same spot in Kalkaji (in South Delhi) for more than two-hours,” said Varun Sud, software professional with a multinational company. “All the roads are flooded. None of the traffic lights are working.”

One man, Nadeem, was electrocuted near Sadar Bazar in north Delhi, while a wall collapsed at Sangam Vihar, south Delhi, injuring two others.

Many MPs heading back from Parliament after the session, also found themselves stuck. Most flights heading for Delhi were diverted to Jaipur. The passengers who traveled by the few flights that managed to land found themselves stranded as there were hardly any taxis available. Airport authorities washed their hands off all responsibility, advising the passengers to make their own way into town. See popup

Water entered several Metro stations including most of those on the Central Secretariat to Jehangirpuri route, as well as on the Dilshad Garden – Rithala line. An HT reporter on his way home found ankle deep water in the lift at Kashmere Gate station. “The platform was so slippery, people were losing their balance and falling,” he said.