Traffic goes haywire as floodwater from Yamuna enters central Delhi

The vehicular movement went haywire and commuters got stuck for hours in traffic jams as the Yamuna floodwaters submerged the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat in central Delhi on Friday.

The Delhi Traffic Police alerted people to plan their journeys in view of the flood-like situation in many parts of the city.

"The road from Geeta Colony to Shanti Van and vice versa has been closed due to waterlogging. General public is requested to avoid this stretch and plan journey accordingly," the police said in a tweet.

According to officials, 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.

"Traffic movement is affected on Vikas Marg towards ITO due to overflow of flood water. Commuters are advised to avoid this stretch and take route of NH 24 via Akshardham-Nizamuddin-ITO," the traffic police said in another tweet.

Nidhi Gupta, a commuter, had to return from ITO after two hours as the traffic movement was impaired due to the waterlogging.

"I had a morning shift so I left from Patparganj for my office in Lutyens' Delhi. But due to the heavy waterlogging at ITO, I had to return home. I even went to the metro station to board the Metro but even the station was crowded, prompting me to inform my office that I will work from home," she said.

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.

"Traffic is affected on NH-48 in the carriageway from Dhaula kuan towards Mahipal pur in view of movement of Kanwad on the National Highway and breakdown of a MGV on Gurgaon Road Flyover opposite Subroto Park. Kindly avoid the stretch," the traffic police tweeted.

Traffic movement was also closed on Bhairon Road due to overflow of drain water near Railway Under Bridge and commuters have been advised to avoid the stretch.

"Due to road repair work on C-Hexagon India Gate near Shershah Road cut, movement of traffic will be impaired. Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly," the police said.