Alert! Delhi To Witness Heavy Rain From July 27; FIR Against Anyone Trying To Cross Minto Bridge During Waterlogging

On Sunday July 19, 2020, the national capital was battered with the first spell of heavy rainfall submerging various areas.

Photo: AFP

A few days after heavy rainfall, Delhi - NCR is going witness the second wave of showers. According to the India Meteorological Centre, the national capital is expected to hit by a heavy downpour from Monday, July 27. As per the reports, the city may be under orange alert on Wednesday and Thursday due to the high intensity of rain.

On Sunday, July 19, 2020, the national capital was battered with the first spell of heavy rainfall submerging various areas. The rainfall which increased water flow in a drain led to collapsing of several kutcha houses of a slum in Anna Nagar. Three people including a child died in rain-related incidents in the national capital.

The first causality was reported from New Delhi's Minto Bridge where a DTC bus almost submerged at waterlogged underpass after rains in the city. The bus driver identified as 56-year-old Kundan Kumar, drowned when his vehicle got stuck in the waterlogged underbridge. Due to this, the bridge was shut down as a precautionary step and later opened up as it was safe.

Now that the national capital is expected to hit by heavy rainfall again the upcoming week, the Delhi government has decided to barricade roads if the water level rises to around 1.5 feet.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has issued certain safety guidelines and directed all the officials to monitor the water situation under the bridge during the rainy season, and ensure proper arrangements so that there is no waterlogging. According to the reports, an FIR may also be filed against anyone trying to violate the restrictions.

An India Today report quoted PWD Minister Satyendar Jain saying "Many people in the city do not obey the rules. This is why we have directed that if there is more than 45 centimeter of waterlogging, then the traffic of Minto Bridge will be stopped by putting barricades. If anyone breaks the barricades then it will be a violation of law, and action will be taken against such people."

Minto Road bridge is the spot where heavy water-logging is witnessed every time it rains during the monsoon season. Minto road area gets submerged after heavy rainfall in Delhi. This is a situation from several years now. A rescue operation has to be conducted when DTC buses get stuck in the rainwater under Minto bridge in Delhi.  Traffic also gets affected at scores of places due to the waterlogging.

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