Delhi Flood News Highlights: As Yamuna floodwaters submerged the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat in central Delhi on Friday, commuters had to face severe woes as they were stuck for hours in traffic jams. The Delhi Traffic Police have alerted people to plan their journeys accordingly in view of flood-like situation in the city. Movement of traffic has been restricted from Shanti Van towards Geeta Colony Flyover due to the rise in water level of the Yamuna river. Vehicular movement has been also restricted from Geeta Colony Flyover towards Rajghat and ISBT, Kashmere Gate. The overflowing Yamuna also entered the entrance of the Supreme Court in Central Delhi.
Meanwhile, Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him up over phone from France to enquire about the flood and waterlogging situation in the national capital. He said that the PM has directed appropriate steps to be taken to deal with the situation.
Delhi floods Highlights: Yamuna river in Delhi swelled to a staggering 208.48 metres, according to the Central Water Commission. Section 144 of the CrPC in flood-prone areas.
With receding water levels, Okhla water treatment has started, tweets CM Arvind Kejriwal. The water level of Yamuna River recorded at 208.17 meters at 6 pm.
The water level in the Yamuna was 208.42 metres at 8 am, 208.38 metres at 10 am and 208.35 metres at 11 am. It went down further to 208.27 metres at 1 pm and 208.25 metres at 3 pm.
"The water has receded slightly but we are still on high alert and fully prepared for any emergency. There are still 4-5 places which are affected by severe waterlogging. We have rescued almost 900 people and 600 animals from the affected areas and the relief work is still going on. However, the NDRF team is still on standby. Till now, there have been no reports of any casualty," says Sharat Kumar, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Seelampur.
Rain lashes several parts of Delhi.
Commuters faced difficulties as traffic was diverted due to waterlogging at ITO road, a key stretch connecting east Delhi to Lutyens's Delhi.
"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.
According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the water level stood at 208.57 metres on Friday and fell marginally to 208.48 metres at 5 AM.
The water level in the Yamuna was 208.42 metres at 8 am, 208.38 metres at 10 am and 208.35 metres at 11 am.
The Indraprastha water regulator was breached due to strong flow of the Yamuna river and is likely to be repaired in the next three-four hours, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday. Water started entering the city after the regulator was breached and many areas around ITO and Rajghat were submerged. Delhi LG VK Saxena and Kejriwal inspected the repair work on the breached regulator.
The swollen river has crossed the danger mark, breaching the all-time record of 1978, flooding low-lying areas near the banks. Although the Yamuna water level remained stable for three hours on Thursday, it started rising again to reach 208.66 by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.
Work on construction of a new 560-metre-long bridge, the first-ever metro bridge over the Yamuna to be built using cantilever construction technique, has been halted due to the rising water level of the river.
Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena and CM Arvind Kejriwal speak to reporters after inspecting the spot at Vikas Bhawan, ITO where a drain regulator is damaged.
Waterlogging continues at Delhi's ITO as Yamuna enters Central Delhi.
"I had been constantly alerting (the government) over this (flood) threat. But the Arvind Kejriwal government didn't wake up," says BJP leader Manoj Tiwari on flood situation.
All government and private schools in Delhi will remain closed till July 16 in view of the rising Yamuna water levels, Directorate of Education (DoE) officials said.
"In view of the directions issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on account to the rising waters of the river Yamuna, all government and private schools under the Directorate of Education shall remain closed up to 16.07.2023 (Sunday) for all purposes," a circular from the DoE said.
Delhi Police Special CP Deepender Pathak says that if the flood situation worsens, the police have maintained holistic coordination and cooperation with the units of NDRF, local administration, and municipality.
"The ultimate goal is that people should not have any inconvenience...Our field formation is active on the ground...The entire Delhi Police force is working to tackle the current emergency situation," he adds.
There has been no change in the water level of river Yamuna in the past one hour. The water level at 1 pm was recorded as 208.62 metres, it was found to be the same even at 2 pm.
Schools, colleges and universities will remain closed till Sunday, announces Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, after DDMA meeting.
A police van can be seen stuck in flood-water near Kashmere Gate area.
Delhi government bans entry of Heavy Good Vehicles from the Singhu Border, Badarpur Border, Loni Border and Chilla Border.
Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting is underway over the situation in Delhi due to rise in water level of river Yamuna at LG Secretariat.
Directorate of Education, Govt of Delhi orders Heads of all the Government, Government Aided & Recognised Private Schools in East, North East, North, South East & Central districts to take adequate measures to ensure safety of students.
All schools in low lying areas where there is an imminent danger of flooding must be closed with immediate effect without waiting for any further orders.
"Entry and exit at Yamuna Bank Metro Station has been temporarily closed due to the rising water levels of the Yamuna River. However, interchange facility is still available and services on Blue Line are running normally," tweets DMRC.
Heavy traffic congestion at Delhi's Vikas Marg. The waters from overflowing Yamuna have inundated several key routes in the national capital.
Roads near Delhi's Kashmere Gate have also been inundated owing to the rising levels of Yamuna river.
"Yamuna River is bound to overflow its banks when the water goes up to this level. The 'nalas' around Yamuna are also filled with water, because of which the areas around Yamuna, especially ISBT, Ring Road, and ITO are facing waterlogging," says Atishi.
Delhi Metro trains are crossing the four Yamuna bridges with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as a precautionary measure, says DMRC. "Due to rising water levels of the Yamuna, trains are passing through all the four Metro bridges on the river with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as a precautionary measure. Normal services on all corridors," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) tweeted.
Yamuna has crossed the danger mark, breaching the all-time record of 1978, flooding low-lying areas near the banks. At 10 am on Thursday, the water level in Yamuna was at 208.53 metres.
CM Arvind Kejriwal, in a tweet said, due to the rising water level of River Yamuna, Water Treatment Plants in Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla are being closed.
"This would cause water problems in some areas of Delhi. As soon as the water level of the river decreases, we will try to restart these Plants again," he said.
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Lt Governor V K Saxena has also called a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Thursday. In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal requested that the water from Hathnikund barrage in Haryana be released slowly and pointed out that Delhi is set to host the G20 Summit meeting in a few weeks. Delhi recorded a rapid increase in the Yamuna's water level over the past three days.