Rain followed by traffic mess, a routine affair

Choked drains, overflowing sewers and waterlogging leading to traffic jams – feels like monsoon, doesn’t it? Well, Friday’s rain was just one of those pre-monsoon showers but the Delhiites got a taste of what it would be like later this month.

Several stretches on the Ring Road, especially the sections where construction is on, bore the brunt. The underpasses too witnessed congestion along with areas under flyovers and other low-lying areas.

Roads in areas like Palam Vihar, Munirka, Dhaula Kuan, Moolchand Underpass, Okhla More, Ashram, Bhogal-Jungpura, Preet Vihar, road from Mother Dairy towards Madhuban Chowk and odd low-lying lanes of congested old city witnessed waterlogging leading to traffic snarls.

“We have been reminding and warning the civic authorities, especially the MCD, at every possible platform to take care of the spots which are waterlogged every year. But to no avail,” said a senior traffic official.

In April, the traffic police came up with the idea of a ‘Traffic Management Coordinating Desk’ at the traffic management centre. It envisages coming together of traffic police and civic agencies like the MCD, NDMC, PWD, NHAI, Delhi Cantonment Board, BSES and the NDPL to maintain coordination between departments for a smooth traffic movement.

However, the effort does not seem to be paying off, as the situation remains dismal, especially in the MCD area. “They do not even deploy water suction pumps in sufficient numbers. In fact, many times our disaster management vehicles, which have water suction pumps, are put to use at important junctions,” the traffic official added.