Heavy rainfall on Tuesday left large parts of Delhi and NCR struggling with severe waterlogging and traffic jams. One of the worst-hit areas was the Zakhira underpass, where commuters were seen wading through waist-deep water.

Major commuting points like ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Ashram and sections of the Ring Road saw several roadblocks and heavy jams that stretched for hours, with vehicles breaking down mid-way.

The weather also disrupted air travel. Several airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air, issued travel advisories asking passengers to check flight status before leaving for the airport.

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Delhi rains: Airlines issue travel advisories

IndiGo, in a post on X, said persistent rainfall and thunderstorms were affecting flight schedules and urged travellers to allow extra time for airport travel given slower road conditions. “There’s a heavy downpour over Delhi at the moment, causing some temporary disruption to flight schedules,” IndiGo tweeted on X “If you’re travelling today, please be aware of potential delays and allow additional time for your journey, especially with traffic moving slower than usual.”

Air India and SpiceJet posted similar messages, warning that arrivals, departures and connecting flights could be delayed. “Heavy rain may impact flight operations to and from Delhi today,” Air India tweeted. “Allow extra time for your journey due to possible slow moving traffic,” wrote Air India.

SpiceJet in its social media post said, “Due to bad weather in Delhi (DEL), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may be affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status.”

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Akasa Air also noted that heavy traffic on roads leading to the airport might increase passengers’ troubles. “Due to heavy rainfall in certain parts of Delhi, we anticipate slow moving traffic and congestion on roads leading to the airport.” The airline further added, “To ensure a seamless travel experience, we request you to plan for additional travel time to reach the airport well in time for your flight. Please check your flight status.”

While no major cancellations were reported, delays were common. Some passengers said the journey to the airport itself was a bigger challenge, with gridlocked roads forcing them to spend double the usual time reaching terminals. 

IMD forecast and alerts

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had already predicted a sudden change in weather, with light showers expected to continue till October 2, coinciding with  Dussehra celebrations. On Tuesday, the IMD issued an alert at 11:03 am, forecasting rain in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and nearby districts including Sonipat, Charkhi Dadri, Jhajjar, Sohna, Rewari, Nuh, and parts of western UP like Noida, Khatauli and Sakoti Tanda.

Meanwhile, IMD also issued a red alert for Mumbai and the Konkan coast, including Thane, Raigad and Palghar, warning of extremely heavy rainfall through the weekend. BMC data showed Mumbai received 30.07 mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8 am, with the eastern suburbs at 26.12 mm and the western suburbs at 9.99 mm.

Relief from heat

The heavy showers brought a much-needed break from Delhi’s rising September temperatures. On Monday, the maximum had touched 37.5°C, while a day earlier the city saw 38.1°C, the hottest September day in two years. IMD now expects the temperature to settle around 35°C, though humidity remained high at 74 percent on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the sudden weather change also impacted ongoing Durga Puja festivities, with many pandals reporting less crowds as devotees struggled to make their way through waterlogged roads. 

According to CPCB data, Delhi’s AQI stood at 114 at 8 am, placing it in the “moderate” category. Officials say rainfall is likely to help further improve the air quality by clearing pollutants from the atmosphere