New Delhi:
In Delhi, several stretches went under stagnant water after overnight showers, forcing vehicles to crawl through flooded roads. On one badly affected road, a Phat Phat Sewa vehicle broke down after getting trapped in rainwater, leaving its driver staring at a day’s earnings slipping away.
“When the vehicle gets stuck, many passengers simply leave without paying. I lose the fare, I lose time, and I still have to repair the vehicle,” he said. He added that the morning hours are crucial for drivers like him, but finding a mechanic early in the day is difficult. “This is how we earn our living. If the vehicle doesn’t move, our home doesn’t run,” he said.
The scenes were similar elsewhere. Vehicles stalled in deep water, commuters waded through flooded stretches and traffic moved slowly as engines struggled against the rising water. Near IGNOU Road, a bus carrying around 40 passengers got stuck after one of its tyres sank into a rain-filled pothole. The passengers had to get down and leave, while traffic officials struggled to manage congestion on the narrowed stretch.
At ITO, traffic slowed sharply during working hours, though pumping machines helped prevent major waterlogging at the junction. Waterlogging was, however, reported in several other parts of the capital, including stretches near the Air Force Headquarters, where half the road was submerged.
The rain also triggered several tree-fall incidents. In Rohini Sector 15, a tree fell on a van, damaging the vehicle, though no injuries were reported. In East of Kailash, a large tree collapsed outside the National Heart Institute, blocking both lanes and disrupting traffic for hours. Municipal workers and traffic police were deployed to cut and remove the branches and divert vehicles.
The downpour came amid red and orange alerts across Delhi-NCR, with the India Meteorological Department warning of more heavy rain. According to reports, Delhi recorded intense spells, while Ghaziabad and Noida saw particularly heavy overnight rainfall. Several areas in Gurugram also reported severe waterlogging and traffic disruption.
In Gurugram, rain-related damage raised fresh concerns about civic and structural safety. At BPTP Amstoria in Sector 102, officials inspected the society after a child was injured in an earlier plaster-fall incident. District Town and Country Planning Enforcement official Amit Madholia visited the site in the presence of residents’ welfare association members and builder representatives, issuing directions for immediate waterproofing, repairs and other corrective safety measures. Residents continued to demand an independent structural audit of the entire project.
Another scare was reported from a society in Sector 37D, where a balcony chhajja collapsed around 6.30 am. No one was injured, but residents said the incident highlighted poor maintenance and long-pending repair concerns. Officials who inspected the premises reportedly found several parts of the structure requiring urgent attention.
Gurugram’s Civil Hospital in Sector 10 also faced severe flooding, with visuals showing the basement filled with murky water, chairs floating inside rooms and water leaking from walls and ceilings. The situation raised questions over the condition of the city’s primary government healthcare facility, where patients depend on basic services during emergencies.
On Gurugram roads, rainwater turned potholes and low-lying stretches into traps for vehicles. In Bhondsi, a cab was seen being swept along by strong rainwater currents, while buses and cars were stuck in flooded sections. Traffic was affected on key stretches, including National Highway 48, where police personnel were deployed at several cuts, including Signature Tower, Hero Honda Chowk, Shankar Chowk and Sector 31, to prevent jams.
Delhi also witnessed a deadly building collapse in Rohini Sector 16, where an under-construction structure came down on Wednesday evening after days of rain. Four people were pulled out after a 14-hour rescue operation involving fire services, NDRF and police personnel. Three of them died, while one was seriously injured and is undergoing treatment.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directed government agencies to remain on high alert, with the Public Works Department, Delhi Jal Board and Municipal Corporation of Delhi deploying teams to clear waterlogged points and maintain traffic movement. Authorities said pre-emptive desilting and drain clearance helped limit waterlogging in some key areas, though several residential and arterial stretches remained badly affected.
For many residents, the rain meant delayed commutes, damaged vehicles and dangerous roads. But for daily-wage earners, drivers and small transport operators, every flooded stretch carried a direct financial cost. Behind every stalled vehicle was a lost fare, behind every fallen tree a blocked route, and behind every flooded road a reminder that the monsoon’s damage is often measured not just in millimetres of rain, but in lost livelihoods.
