Delhi LG Orders War-Footing Response to Waterlogging After Heavy Rain
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday directed senior administrative officials to treat waterlogging across the capital as a disaster and initiate a war-footing response, following intense rainfall that inundated key stretches in Karol Bagh and other parts of the city.
The Lieutenant Governor convened a meeting with senior officers late Tuesday evening to review the civic situation after several weather stations recorded over 100 mm of rainfall. Tuesday marked Delhi's wettest August day in two years, leaving key arterial roads submerged and vehicular traffic gridlocked across the capital.
Calling for a "whole of government" approach, Sandhu instructed departmental and agency heads to remain present on the ground to ensure swift redressal of public complaints. In a statement shared on X, the LG emphasised that every department and agency must work in complete synergy rather than in silos to tackle the crisis.
Sandhu instructed officials to prioritise real-time redressal of complaints raised through media, social media, and other channels. He stressed that continuous monitoring is required to ensure directions are implemented effectively and visible relief is delivered on the ground, noting that providing swift relief to citizens and ensuring a safer, better-managed Delhi remains the core priority.
Tuesday's downpour led to severe water accumulation across multiple major locations. Traffic movement was heavily disrupted on key corridors, including Karol Bagh, ITO towards Mandi House, Vikas Marg, Laxmi Nagar, and the Akshardham flyover.
Following the widespread disruption, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) issued an apology on Wednesday to residents for rain-triggered waterlogging under its jurisdiction, stating that systems would be strengthened to handle future instances. NDMC Chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi stated on X that while the civic body generally resolves waterlogging within 15 to 20 minutes, water took more than an hour to drain at three to four locations.
