Yamuna flows at a record level; water spills out on some roads in Delhi

The water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 45-year-high 208-metre mark on Wednesday night and rose to 208.48 metres by 8 am on Thursday

The Yamuna River in Delhi swelled to 208.48 metres on Thursday morning, inundating nearby streets and public and private infrastructure and causing immense hardships to people living in close proximity to the river.

According to news agency PTI, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 208-metre mark on Wednesday night and rose to 208.48 metres by 8 am on Thursday.

It is expected to rise further, according to the Central Water Commission, which has termed it an "extreme situation".

With the situation deteriorating every passing hour, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Centre to intervene and the city police imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in flood-prone areas to prevent unlawful assembly of four or more people and public movement in groups.

In a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal requested that the water from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana be released slowly and pointed out that Delhi is set to host the G20 Summit meeting in a few weeks.

"The news of flooding in the capital of the country will not send a good message to the world. Together we will have to save the people of Delhi from this situation," he said.
 

There are two major barrages on the Yamuna -- Dakpathar in Dehradun and Hathnikund in Yamunanagar, upstream of Delhi. There are no dams on the river; therefore, most of the monsoon flow remains unutilised, resulting in floods during the season.

Delhi recorded a rapid increase in the Yamuna's water level over the past three days.

It shot up from 203.14 metres at 11 am on Sunday to 205.4 metres at 5 pm on Monday, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 metres 18 hours earlier than expected.

The river exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres Monday night, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations and the closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic. The water level breached the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres by 1 pm on Wednesday and the 208-metre mark by 10 pm.

Delhi L-G calls a meeting of DDMA

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has also called a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Thursday. "The meeting will be held at the LG Secretariat at 12 noon, CM Arvind Kejriwal will also be present at the meeting," DDMA officials said.

Also Read: Delhi L-G Saxena calls DDMA meeting today over rising water level of Yamuna

CM Kejriwal also appealed to people living in the low-lying areas near Yamuna floodplains to vacate their homes. "I request everyone to vacate their homes in the low-lying areas. There are several places affected by the rise in the level of water in Yamuna River," he said.

Thousands evacuated

Thousands of people staying in the national capital's low-lying areas were shifted to safe places as the water level in Yamuna breached the 45-year record mark on Wednesday.

According to the Delhi government, as part of its evacuation plan, a total of 16,564 people living in low-lying areas have been evacuated to safer places, and 14,534 are living in tents/shelters across the city.

Owing to the flood-like situation in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) Education Department has decided to close ten schools in low-lying areas of the Civil Lines Zone, 06 schools in Shahdara South Zone and one school in the Shahdara North Zone, for Thursday. "Online classes will be held for students of those schools," the government said.

Some cremation grounds face flooding

MCD on Wednesday issued an advisory for some of the cremation grounds near the Yamuna River in view of its rising water level following incessant rainfall.

MCD said there is a possibility of water entering the Nigam Bodh Ghat, which can hamper cremation activities, and requested people not to use the cremation ground. The civic body has advised people to use nearby cremation grounds instead.

"There is a possibility of water entering into the Nigam Bodh Ghat hampering the cremation-related activities. Therefore, the general public is advised to take the dead bodies of their near and dear to the nearby cremation grounds i.e. Panchkuyian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri or preferably near their colony," MCD said.

"There is waterlogging at Geeta Colony crematorium due to the increasing water level of Yamuna. Citizens are requested to use cremation facilities at Karkarduma and Ghazipur cremation grounds, arrangements have been made. MCD is providing all the facilities at its cremation grounds for the convenience of the citizens," the MCD's advisory read further.

Delhi Police issues advisory

The Delhi Traffic Police on Thursday issued an advisory on the restrictions and regulation of vehicular movement in place owing to the rising water level of the Yamuna river.

According to the advisory, the traffic movement has been impaired on Mahatma Gandhi Marg between IP flyover and Chandgi Ram Akhara, Mahatma Gandhi Marg between Kalighat Mandir and Delhi Secretariat, and Outer Ring Road between Wazirabad Bridge and Chandgi Ram Akhara

"The commuters are advised to avoid the roads and plan their journey accordingly," it said.

Non-destined commercial vehicles will not be allowed to enter Delhi and will be diverted to the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway. The commercial vehicles will be diverted from Mukarba Chowk. No commercial vehicles will be allowed between Mukarba Chowk and Wazirabad Bridge, the advisory stated.

"The commercial vehicles will also be diverted from Sarai Kale Khan. No such vehicles will be allowed between Sarai Kale Khan and IP flyover. They will be diverted from Ghazipur border as well as from Akshardham towards DND. No such vehicles will be allowed between Akshardham and Sarai Kale Khan," it added.

(With agency inputs)