Delhi: CM Kejriwal seeks Army's help as Rajghat, ITO submerged

Despite the receding water level of the Yamuna, parts of ITO and Rajghat experienced flooding on Friday (July 14) due to a damaged regulator near Indraprastha, worsening the already critical situation.

The floodwaters even reached the Supreme Court, located in the Tilak Marg area in the central part of the city.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of the damage to the regulator on priority and resolve the problem.

Also Read: Delhi floods: Govt offices, school, colleges to remain closed in Delhi till Sunday

“Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at regulator of drain no. 12 near WHO building. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The government has directed the chief secretary to take it up on highest priority,” he said in a tweet.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi directed the chief secretary to seek help from the NDRF and Army to prevent flooding in Delhi due to the damage to the regulator. Kejriwal will be visiting the site to take stock of the situation.

“This breach is causing flooding of ITO and surroundings. Engineers have been working whole nite. I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently,” he tweeted.

This breach is causing flooding of ITO and surroundings. Engineers have been working whole nite. I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently https://t.co/O8R1lLAWXX

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 14, 2023

Also read: Delhi: CM’s office, several key areas flooded as Yamuna level keeps rising

The compromised regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back towards the city areas.

Yamuna’s water level at 8 am stood at 208.42 metres.

The flooding in ITO and Rajghat areas has led the authorities to impose curbs on movement of traffic.

“No vehicular traffic will be allowed on Mahatma Gandhi Marg from Sarai Kale Khan towards IP Flyover due to overflow of drain water near WHO Building. Commuters are advised to avoid the stretch,” the Delhi Traffic Police said in a tweet.

Commuters battled problems as they navigated through the waterlogged ITO Road, which is a key stretch connecting East Delhi to Lutyens’s Delhi.

People going to their offices and New Delhi Railway Station will face hardships while navigating through the stretch.

Traffic movement was also closed on Bhairon Road due to overflow of drain water near Railway Under Bridge.

Some people could be seen dragging their vehicles through the waterlogged ITO stretch.

A commuter going towards Noida said, “Till now, we were feeling that the flooodwater is only entering low-lying areas. But now the threat feels so closer as the nerve centre of Delhi has been flooded.”

(With agency inputs)