The Hindu 28.07.2010
Rain is back, so are water-logged roads and traffic jams
Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI: With the rain returning to lash the Capital after a brief dry spell on Monday, mild water-logging was reported from several parts of the Capital on Tuesday.
According to the Meteorological Department, the city received a total of 2.7 mm of rainfall on Monday.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi control room received 25 complaints of water-logging, one complaint of tree falling and two complaints of portions of buildings collapsing. The maximum number of complaints was received from the City and Civil Lines zones which received a total of seven complaints each. The areas affected due to water-logging included Vishwas Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Pusa Road roundabout, near Chhattrasal Stadium, Azadpur Mandi, Yamuna Bazaar and near Hanuman Mandir.
Meanwhile, the rain coupled with some problem with the Delhi Metro railway during the afternoon caused traffic snarls at several places across the city. There was slow-moving traffic at ITO, Vikas Marg, Connaught Place, Rafi Marg and even Ring Road and Outer Righ Road.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg said: “After a fire incident was reported at Rajiv Chowk metro station around 12 noon, emergency vehicles including over 20 fire tenders, quick reaction teams and local police were rushed to the spot and their movement given precedence. This situation was further compounded owing to rain slowing down the traffic movement.”
“As it takes time to clear out vehicles in an emergency, it made traffic management difficult forcing us to put in place two diversions in Connaught Place to reduce congestion. As Connaught Place is already under renovation, lack of space added to the pressure on traffic movement,” he added.
According to Mr. Garg, diversions were put at Barakhamba Road and Janpath for traffic out of Connaught Place towards Mandi House and Windsor Palace respectively. “Traffic jams in CP prevailed from 12 noon to around 6-30 p.m. after which the situation eased,” he added.
