Heavy rain brought traffic across Delhi to a near standstill on Thursday, with waterlogging and crowded junctions disrupting movement from India Gate and ITO to Mandi House, south Delhi and several other major corridors.
Long queues of cars, buses and three-wheelers were reported at multiple locations as rainfall intensified. Commuters flagged little or no movement on several stretches and sought intervention from the Delhi Traffic Police through social media.
At Mandi House Circle, vehicles were seen packed tightly together, while commuters claimed that traffic personnel were not present to regulate the flow. Traffic was also reported to be stuck for nearly 30 minutes around India Gate, according to a commuter post cited in the report.
The ITO area faced congestion on the Vikas Marg-ITO stretch and on roads linking ITO with the Supreme Court and Bharat Mandapam. Heavy traffic was also reported near the Supreme Court. In central Delhi, waterlogging was reported near Mandi House and Geeta Colony, adding to delays on already busy routes.
South Delhi saw vehicles queue from the Chirag Delhi red light towards IIT Delhi and Hauz Khas. Commuters also reported congestion near the Ashram flyover exit towards Sarai Kale Khan and Sunlight Colony. Traffic around Okhla Phase 1 was allegedly worsened by encroachments and construction material stored on footpaths, according to complaints cited in the report.
The disruption extended beyond central and south Delhi. Heavy traffic was reported near Palam and AIIMS, while waterlogging during end-of-school hours worsened congestion in Model Town. The combination of rainfall, peak travel demand and reduced road capacity created delays across several important routes.
Responding to one complaint, the Delhi Traffic Police said the matter had been forwarded to the concerned traffic circle for action. The response indicates that traffic management complaints were being routed to local enforcement units while congestion continued across the city.
The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for moderate rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds in the capital. Dark clouds remained over Delhi through much of the day as rainfall affected road conditions and movement. Further traffic management action will depend on conditions at individual junctions and the response of the concerned traffic circles.
