Yamuna flowing at season-high of 206.83 metres in Delhi, expected to stabilise

In 2023, the Yamuna swelled to its highest-ever level of 208.66m on July 11 following a record discharge of 359,760 cusecs from Hathnikund

Updated on: Sep 3, 2025, 09:07:01 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

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The Yamuna was flowing close to the 207-metre threshold and at a season-high of 206.83 metres at 8am on Wednesday, even as the Central Water Commission (CWC) said the water level was expected to stabilise and marginally dip, touching 206.76 metres by 8pm.

The low-lying areas around the floodplains have been inundated. (ANI)

The low-lying areas around the floodplains have been inundated. On Tuesday, the Delhi government started evacuating people from low-lying areas. Over 10,000 people moved to 28 temporary camps. The Old Railway Bridge was closed for traffic operations from 4pm.

Data for the last 63 years showed the river has breached the 205-metre mark in 43 of these years, the 206-metre mark in 14 years. The 207-metre mark was crossed in four years, including during the 2023 record flood level of 208.66 metres.

In 2023, the Yamuna swelled to its highest-ever level of 208.66m on July 11 following a record discharge of 359,760 cusecs from Hathnikund. Last year’s peak was 204.38m on September 26 below the “warning” level.

The peak discharge last year was 87,018 cusecs, data from the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department showed. This year it has crossed the danger level of 205.33 metre four times, making this spell by far the worst this season.

I&FC department closed four of its 22 drain regulators to prevent flooding in the city. Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, the I&FC minister, said the government has activated a comprehensive flood preparedness plan to protect people and infrastructure during the ongoing monsoon. He added that all departments have been put on high alert with manpower, machinery, and monitoring systems deployed across the capital.

“We are on a war footing with our flood preparedness. Officers, engineers, and ground staff are on 24-hour duty. From barrages to pumping stations, every mechanism is under strict monitoring. I am reviewing coordination... I have directed all district magistrates, particularly in South West, South East, South, and Central Delhi, to stay fully prepared with contingency plans,” he said. Verma said special attention is being given to the Najafgarh Basin, where additional safeguards are in place.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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