Monsoon now means misery, more of it in store

Monsoon now means misery, more of it in store
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JULY 17: Swelling sewers, water-logged roads, mud-stained clothes and hours of endless wait in the helplessness of a traffic jam. As the southwest monsoon is turning aggressive in the Capital, Delhiites are now being subjected to the hellish experience of coping with furious rains and its fallout on city's drainage and traffic management.

Monday witnessed one of the heaviest spells of torrential rains in the Capital recording a total rainfall of over 53 mm in just 12 hours from 8.30am. More trouble is expected as the rains will continue to lash the city for at least another three days, according to weather department.

S.C. Gupta, director, India Meteorological Department said: ``There are three weather systems right now active over Midnapore, Gwalior and Rajasthan which are collectively effecting heavy rainfall over entire northern India.'' The current weather conditions are likely to prevail for another two or three days and more heavy rains are expected during this course, he added.

Today's rains led to near total collapse of traffic management in Delhi and the suburb of Noida. Motorists and commuters travelling by public transport were stranded for hours in the water-logged roads and busy intersections as the traffic moved at a snail's pace at most places in the city. Traffic lights did not work in several places and cars broke down at various spots. Even emergency services like ambulances were hit by the traffic jams.

Overflowing drains inundated the roads and flooded the low-lying colonies in parts of Delhi. Complaints of power disruption were also received from some areas.µAt Noida too, the monsoon got the people stranded and also exposed the sorry state of the drains and other civic amenities in the city. Several places were filled with knee-high water as the rain water had no outlet due to clogged drains. Of all the sectors, sectors 12 and 22 and the Chowda village were the worst affected.

Water entered into several houses in this low-lying village, forcing people to shift their valuables to safe places. In Sectors 12 and 22 people had a tough time getting back into their houses as most of them had a pond of water in front of their houses. Power supply was also hit in several sectors.

Yamuna threatens

Heavy rainfall in Delhi and its surrounding regions for the past three days is likely to have its bearing on the Yamuna as the water level is likely to cross the danger mark by tomorow afternoon.

A.K. Gupta, chief engineer at Delhi government's flood and irrigation department, said that it has been raining heavily in Tajewala barrage and upper catchment area of Yamuna. As a result, the flow of Yamuna is likely to increase tomorow.

He added that all the nine deputy commissioners in Delhi have been alerted about the rehabilitation work in their respective zones