"Call Indian Army...": Arvind Kejriwal directs officials to prevent flooding in Delhi

New Delhi: Floodwaters of the overflowing Yamuna reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in Central Delhi on Friday while the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat were submerged as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage, exacerbating the already dire situation.

Though the water level of the Yamuna has began to recede, the damage to the regulator near Indraprastha caused flooding in ITO and surrounding areas.

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

The Irrigation and Flood Control team have been building a weir at a drain but water is still entering the city, Atishi said in an official communication.

"If needed all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army be requested to help on this matter. Chief Secretary directed to submit hourly reports to CM, I&FC minister and Revenue Minister," she said.

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.

"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.

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 Govt has directed Chief Secretary to take it up on highest priority.

— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) July 14, 2023

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, while at 10 am, it had gone down to 208.38 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.

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".

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

"Movement of traffic is restricted from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate due to rise in water level of Yamuna river. Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly," the traffic police said in another tweet.