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Delhi’s Minto Bridge reopens after waterlogging amid heavy rains
Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory requesting people to use an alternate route and later said was opened.
An underpass below the Minto Bridge in the heart of Delhi was closed on Wednesday, the second time this week, for commuters for some time after heavy rainfall in the national capital region triggered waterlogging in the area.
Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory requesting people to use an alternate route and later said was opened.
“Traffic movement is now normal under Minto Bridge,” Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.
Heavy rainfall lashed parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) in the morning leading to water-logging in several areas of the Capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted moderate to heavy intensity rainfall for Delhi and some parts of Haryana on Wednesday.
This was the second time in three days that the area near central Delhi’s Connaught Place was flooded after rains.
A 56-year-old man drowned on Sunday as he tried to navigate his mini truck through eight feet-deep water on the Minto Road underpass.
Kundan Singh Mehra sat on his submerged vehicle for several minutes before his death, according to a video clip that was authenticated by his family members who said passersby did not try to rescue him.
Fire officials, who rescued three others stranded there, said they were unaware there was a fourth person. Mehra’s body was later spotted by a linesman working nearby.
Photos on social media also showed a Delhi Transportation Corporation (DTC) submerged under the bridge.
At least one other person also drowned that day in a separate incident after the first spell of heavy rains in the national capital this monsoon.
The flooding in several areas of the national capital led to a war of words between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said all government and civic agencies must work together instead of indulging in blame-game at a time when the city is battling the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Raghav Chadha, the AAP’s spokesperson and vice-chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board, said the work was delayed due to the pandemic.
