Heavy rainfall batters Delhi-NCR, triggers traffic woes and waterlogging

New Delhi, July 23 Heavy rainfall pounded several parts of Delhi-NCR on Wednesday morning, throwing life out of gear as office-goers and schoolchildren struggled with traffic jams and widespread waterlogging across the national capital.

The downpour brought vehicles to a crawl and disrupted routine movement in many parts of the city.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for the entire region, forecasting moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph.

The NCR areas under red alert included Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad, besides Delhi.

In the national capital areas, including Northwest and Southwest Delhi, and adjoining areas of Haryana and Rajasthan, remained under an orange alert, as the MeT department predicted light to moderate showers and gusty winds for those regions.

In Delhi, three critical intersections that connect to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS), and ITO experienced severe congestion due to multiple traffic signals and slow vehicle movement.

Despite heavy rainfall in the vicinity of IGI Airport, no disruptions to flight operations were reported.

The downpour followed a short but intense rain spell on Tuesday, July 22, which had already led to major waterlogging in several key areas in Delhi such as Press Enclave Road, both carriageways of Anuvrat Marg near Qutub Minar Metro Station, and stretches along MB Road near Sainik Farms, Saket Metro Station, and Mathura Road near Ashram.

Commuters were among the worst affected by the sudden downpour. Traffic slowed to a crawl on arterial roads such as NH-8, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, ITO, and even parts of Lutyens' Delhi.

In several areas, vehicles were seen stranded in long queues, while frustrated commuters took to social media to share visuals and lodge complaints about clogged roads, submerged footpaths, and knee-deep water in residential colonies.

Long delays were also reported on the Mehrauli-Badarpur and Delhi-Ghaziabad corridors, with travel times exceeding an hour in several stretches. Traffic movement from Nangloi to Najafgarh was significantly impacted, compounding the problems of residents in the area.

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