Delhi Identifies Eight Yamuna Hotspots For Round-The-Clock Monsoon Flood Monitoring
The Delhi government has identified eight vulnerable locations along the Yamuna river, including Sonia Vihar, Yamuna Bazar, Jagatpur Bund, the ITO Barrage, the LF Bund near Shastri Nagar, Power House Bund, and a stretch near Sungarpur in Burari, for round-the-clock flood monitoring. According to the Flood Control Order 2026 issued on Wednesday, these critical points will undergo 24/7 surveillance to prevent breaches, overtopping, or localized flooding during the upcoming monsoon season.
The initiative aims to prevent a repeat of the severe floods of 2023 and 2025, when the Yamuna river overflowed into nearby neighborhoods, disrupted transport, and shut down water treatment plants. Officials classified these eight locations as weak points that historically face high risks during periods of intense rainfall or high river discharge.
Among the monitored sites, the ITO Barrage remains a key focus. The 552-metre-long structure, which regulates water flow through central Delhi, saw several gates malfunction during the 2023 floods. Although the Delhi government has requested its transfer to improve emergency coordination, the barrage remains under the control of the Haryana Irrigation Department.
To streamline disaster response, the government established a Central Flood Control Room at the LM Bund in Shastri Nagar. Operating from June 15 to October 15, the facility will coordinate activities between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Police, Public Works Department, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority, and power distribution companies.
Additionally, an apex committee led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will supervise the flood-control operations. The panel includes ministers, MPs, MLAs, senior bureaucrats, and civic representatives.
As part of its long-term strategy, the government is engaging IIT-Delhi to study the feasibility of constructing a 4.7-kilometre flood protection wall between Majnu Ka Tila and the Old Iron Bridge. The proposed wall would stand six feet above the highest recorded flood level.
Ahead of the monsoon, the Public Works Department and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department have also removed more than 30.9 lakh metric tonnes of silt and cleaned nearly 1,900 kilometres of drains across Delhi's 70 Assembly constituencies.
