'Bit of good news': Kejriwal Shares Update On Yamuna Water Level

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that the water level of the Yamuna has started going down and residents of the national capital will get some relief from floods very soon.

Commuters make their way through the waterlogged ITO Road in New Delhi on Friday.

Source : PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the residents of the national capital might get some relief soon as the overall level of floodwater is going down. "There's a bit of good news for Delhi residents. The Yamuna floodwaters are receding," he said. CM Kejriwal's comments came after he, along with Delhi Governor VK Saxena and ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, surveyed the ITO area on Friday.

"The flow of water from the Yamuna was so high that it breached the regulator and entered the city. The Yamuna water level is going down, but this regulator damage is causing waterlogging at ITO and nearby areas. Labourers and engineers worked overnight to create a mud wall [makeshift bund] to stop the water [from entering the city]. The army and NDRF have also joined the operation. I believe we will be able to stop the water in the next 3-4 hours," CM Arvind Kejriwal said after inspecting the damaged drain regulator at Vikas Marg, ITO.

According to the Central Water Commission, the water level of the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge was 208.32 metres at noon on Friday. The water level at the spot 24 hours ago was 208.6 metres. It is likely to go down to 208.05 by 11 pm. The warning level is 204.5 metres.

The Yamuna floodwaters, which continuously rose for the past couple of weeks, reached the Supreme Court court entrance on Friday due to a damaged floodwater regulator at Indraprastha. According to officials, the strong flow of the Yamuna damaged the regulator and water started entering the city, exacerbating the already dire situation caused by the damaged regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department. The ITO intersection and Rajghat, both bustling areas, were submerged as a result.

While the water level of the Yamuna River has started to recede, the flooding in ITO and surrounding areas was caused by the damage to the regulator, reported news agency PTI. In response, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi instructed the chief secretary to seek assistance from the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and the Army to prevent further flooding in Delhi.

According to an official communication from Atishi, the Irrigation and Flood Control team constructed a weir over a drain, but water is still entering the city. She stated, "If needed, all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army should be requested to assist in this matter. The Chief Secretary has been directed to submit hourly reports to the CM, I&FC Minister, and Revenue Minister."

Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the government has instructed the chief secretary to prioritize the issue of the damaged regulator and resolve the problem.

For all the latest updates around the Delhi flood situation, click here.