'DELHI WATERLOGGING HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT ISSUE FOR LAST 20 YEARS'

As Yamuna water flows into streets and homes, unhappy residents say no government has improved the city's drainage facilities.

- TIKAM SHARMA

Delhi witnessed heavy rains last week, resulting in waterlogging at various places in the city and NCR regions. Though the downpour has stopped, people couldn't get relief from the waterlogging.

After that, the level of the Yamuna gradually started increasing, and it breached the danger mark on 10 July. Later in the week, the Yamuna breached its highest-ever level, breaking the 45-yearold record and flowing above 208.48 as Haryana released water from the Hathnikund barrage.

According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 207-metre mark at 4 a.m. and rose to 207.25 metres on Wednesday. As per CWC's prediction, the water level again rose and reached its highest-ever mark on Friday morning.

Officials said the river breached the danger mark earlier than expected. Haryana released water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage. Seeing the worstever scenario, authorities started evacuating the lowlying areas as the level of the Yamuna rose every hour.The authorities started shifting people to relief camps, community centres, tents, schools, etc.