Severe Waterlogging Hits Connaught Place Roads Following Heavy Rainfall

Heavy showers led to severe waterlogging across several major roads in Connaught Place and parts of Lutyens' Delhi, leaving key stretches submerged for hours, disrupting vehicular traffic, and inconveniencing commuters throughout the area.

The affected locations included Feroz Shah Road, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg, Raisina Road, and parts of the Outer Circle in Connaught Place. Significant water accumulation was also reported outside the Shivaji Stadium Metro station, creating severe travel hurdles for pedestrians and motorists.

The widespread inundation has brought the city's stormwater drainage preparedness under scrutiny. New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officials previously claimed that rainwater typically drains away within 35 to 40 minutes following heavy spells of rain.

Earlier, the civic council attributed recurring waterlogging around the Outer Circle to incomplete desilting across a two-kilometre network of Public Works Department (PWD) drains. That drainage network covers Outer Circle, Minto Road, and DDU Marg.

PWD officials acknowledged significant silt accumulation within the system and stated that approximately 80 percent of the desilting work has been completed. The department expects to finish the remaining desilting work within 15 days.

However, waterlogging on Tuesday along Feroz Shah Road and Baba Kharak Singh Marg, both located away from the specific PWD drain network, has raised questions regarding whether the problem points to broader deficiencies across the entire local drainage infrastructure.