Again, downpour slows down city

Water-logging halts traffic; Yamuna flows close to danger mark

Saturday's downpour washed away the previous record of the highest rainfall this season — 54.5 mm of rain registered on August 21. The Palam Met station recorded 61.8 mm of rain on Saturday.

Waterlogged roads brought traffic to a halt in many places. Dr R K Jenamani, Director-in-charge of the MeT Department at IGI Airport, said: "The rainfall recorded was the highest for the season, but it was distributed through the day, instead of a being concentrated over a few hours."

The maximum temperature dipped five notches below normal to 29 degrees Celsius while the minimum was a degree below normal at 25.5 degrees Celsius.

Over 4,000 traffic personnel manned the roads, as traffic signals in many parts were switched off to clear the logjam. Water-logging slowed down traffic near I P College, Chandgi Ram Akhara, Kela Ghat, Mori Gate, Tirth Ram Hospital, Defence Colony flyover, Pulpahladpur, Nizamuddin Khatta, Ashram flyover to Maharani Bagh, Ashram to Hari Nagar.

They civic authorities were quick to assign the blame to PWD. "Since all roads, which 60 feet or more wide have been transferred to PWD, it is their responsibility to desilt drains. These roads had most of the water-logging incidents," Mukesh Yadav, Director, Press and Information, South Municipal Corporation, said.

With showers continuing over the week, Yamuna is being closely being watched as it inches towards the warning level. Minister for Irrigation and Flood Control A K Walia said: "Haryana released 38,000 cusecs of water at Hathnikund, which has led to rise in the water-level of the Yamuna. It has reached at 203.5 feet. The warning level is 204."

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