Delhi Airport Flooding After Heavy Rain Leads to Travel Disruptions

Heavy rainfall struck Delhi on Friday afternoon, leading to significant waterlogging in various areas, including the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The resultant inundation left several parts of the city, such as Connaught Place, Akbar Road, and Lajpat Nagar, submerged, resulting in traffic congestions.

Flight operations at the airport were disrupted, prompting the diversion of nine flights between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm. Four flights were rerouted to Jaipur, while another four landed in Lucknow, and one headed towards Ahmedabad, as reported by airport sources.

The Congress Party criticized the central government on social media, claiming that the flooding provided passengers with a "Beach View" experience at the airport. Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, also made a sarcastic remark linking the situation to the country's GDP growth figures, which have faced scrutiny from the Opposition.

Passengers were left stranded and concerned about missing their flights due to the waterlogged conditions. One passenger named Mansi stated, "I’ve never seen anything like this; there is so much water. I’ve been standing here for about half an hour now, waiting for the water level to recede a bit to reach the arrivals." Another commuter, Himanshi, echoed similar sentiments regarding the extensive water accumulation.

Traffic disruptions extended beyond the airport, with a 10-km-long traffic jam reported on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway. The peak of the congestion occurred near the Delhi-Gurugram border, trapping numerous vehicles for several hours. Narayan Acharya, a commuter travelling from Gurugram to Kathmandu, shared, "We found slow-moving traffic from Iffco Chowk around 4 pm, and as of 6.30 pm, we had not crossed the Sirhaul toll plaza, which is only about six kilometres away."

Another driver, Vikas Kumar, added that he had been stuck in his vehicle for three hours, with no option to turn around due to the heavy traffic and worsening rain conditions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for heavy rainfall across Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region, attributing the severe weather to an active monsoon system over north-central India. The IMD reported substantial rainfall accumulation during the day, with Palam recording the highest at 72.2 mm between 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm.

Conditions are expected to remain unsettled, with more rain forecasted for the coming days. The weather will likely continue to affect daily life in the capital, exacerbating existing concerns over infrastructure and emergency responses in similar weather conditions.

The overall situation underscores the challenges faced by Delhi, particularly in its transportation infrastructure and emergency preparedness in the face of severe weather events.