Monsoon Is Here, Met Office Says As Rains Inundate Most Parts of Delhi

As incessant rains submerged Delhi-NCR roads on Friday, the India Meteorological Department confirmed that the monsoon has arrived in the region.

In an official statement, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into the entire Delhi region.

“The Northern Limit of Monsoon passes through 26 °N/65 °E, Jaisalmer, Churu, Bhiwani, Delhi, Aligarh, Kanpur, Ghazipur, Gonda, Kheri, Moradabad, Dehradun, Una, Pathankot, Jammu, 33 °N/74 °E,” it added.

Although the rains provided relief from the blistering heat, visuals from across Delhi and its adjoining areas, including Sarita Vihar, Connaught Place, Palam Airport, and Dhaula Kuan, showed scenes of waterlogging, traffic jams, road cave-ins, uprooted trees, and broken pillars.

Aman, a corporate employee stuck due to waterlogging in his area, told News agency ANI, “The rain has provided some respite from the heat. However, it has led to severe waterlogging, and traveling to the office has become very difficult.”

“The water has entered my truck, and it is not moving anymore. I have been stuck here for the last two hours,” said Dinesh, a truck driver.

The Delhi Traffic Police kept issuing regular updates of inundation and traffic snarls to help commuters plan their day.

“Traffic is affected on MB road in both the carriageways from Hamdard T-Point towards Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range T- Point and vice-versa due to waterlogging in front of Tughlakabad Fort. Kindly plan your journey accordingly,” Traffic Police said in a post on X.

The Safdarjung weather station recorded 153.7 mm of rainfall, which began around 3 am. Last year, Delhi had welcomed the monsoon on June 26. In 2022, it arrived on June 30 and in 2021, on July 13. In 2020, the monsoon reached Delhi on June 25, according to the data.

On the issue of waterlogging, Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Friday said, “The waterlogging situation this time is far better than last time. All departments concerned with the situation are working on the ground, and the work is underway. It will be resolved by this afternoon. The residents of Delhi won’t have to face a situation like this after today.”

Additionally, a recent video showed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Ravinder Singh Negi symbolically protesting against the Aam Aadmi Government by rowing an inflatable boat amidst the severe waterlogging. He said, “All PWD drains are overflowing. They (Aam Aadmi Party) did not get them cleaned ahead of the monsoon. This has led to waterlogging. Vinod Nagar has submerged.”

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi commented on the waterlogging situation, saying, “The waterlogging is something very important that needs to be paid attention to.”

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast cloudy skies and varying intensities of rain accompanied by gusty winds in Delhi for the next seven days.