Delhi Traffic Collapses After 16mm Rain as Flyover Work and Kanwar Yatra Trigger Gridlock

The disruption was compounded by the growing influx of Kanwariyas into Delhi and the Public Works Department (PWD) beginning work on extending the Modi Mill flyover near Okhla and widening the Savitri flyover near Greater Kailash. The two infrastructure projects are expected to continue for years, significantly affecting traffic on the Outer Ring Road and surrounding stretches for the foreseeable future.

The situation is expected to persist, with the number of Kanwariyas set to increase during the week and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting more rainfall on Thursday.

According to the IMD, Wednesday's rainfall was caused by the monsoon trough shifting back over north India. Between 8:30am and 5:30pm, the Safdarjung weather station recorded 15.6mm of rainfall, while Lodhi Road registered the highest rainfall in the city at 38.7mm.

The rainfall once again exposed the city's fragile traffic management and civic infrastructure, with waterlogging and damaged road surfaces reported at several locations even as construction activities continued across major corridors.

Outer Ring Road, particularly the stretch between Chirag Delhi crossing and the Okhla NSIC Metro station, was among the worst-affected areas. The PWD barricaded a section of the carriageway near Meriton Hotel, reducing the available road space on an already congested route.

"Work started on Tuesday. Earth-movers have been brought in and digging has also started. There's also nearby repair work on the Modi Mill flyover underpass. This is affecting traffic movement and will continue for a long time," a Delhi Traffic Police officer said.

PWD officials confirmed that initial excavation work has begun and stated that the project is expected to take more than one-and-a-half years to complete, raising concerns over prolonged disruption along one of Delhi's busiest traffic corridors.

The agency has previously exceeded scheduled completion timelines on several projects, including the Ashram underpass, which was completed nearly one-and-a-half years behind schedule, and the flyover link to the Delhi-Noida Direct Flyway, which was delayed by almost two years.

By Wednesday morning, commuters reported that journeys normally completed in around 30 minutes had stretched to nearly two hours.

The resulting congestion quickly spread across the city, with traffic snarls reported on the Delhi-Noida Direct Flyway, Kalindi Kunj, CV Raman Marg, New Friends Colony, Maharani Bagh, Okhla, Dhaula Kuan, and roads leading to the airport.

Traffic came to a complete halt on the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road near Okhla Mor after rainfall flooded the carriageway. Waterlogging was also reported in several areas, including ITO, Kirari, Sadar Bazar, and Sangam Vihar, where ankle-deep water accumulated.

Traffic Police said the disruption resulted from multiple factors occurring simultaneously.

"The Kanwar Yatra has started and small processions have started along the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. Rains have been hindering smooth flow of traffic. Traffic around Sarai Kale Khan and south Delhi will be an issue for the next week. Our staff is deployed at every point to regulate traffic," a senior Delhi Traffic Police officer said.

Another officer acknowledged that civic activities had further aggravated the traffic situation.

"On Tuesday, we faced major traffic jams around 9am as civic authorities brought in two tractors and started planting saplings and putting flowerpots on the DND Flyway. This took over two hours, narrowing the carriageway," the officer said.

As commuters expressed growing frustration, social media was flooded with videos showing stationary traffic and submerged roads from different parts of the city.

"East Delhi traffic has become a mess. All roads were blocked and there was no police official in sight to resolve it. GT Road, Loni Road, Jhilmil, GTB Enclave, Dilshad Garden were all packed," said Purusharth Malik, a commuter from Noida.

At Mangolpuri, another resident alleged that no traffic personnel were visible at a busy intersection despite severe congestion.

Relief appears unlikely on Thursday, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert and forecasting more spells of light to moderate rainfall across Delhi.

Meanwhile, Kanwar yatris set up camps at Sarai Kale Khan and Pandav Nagar on Wednesday night, with barricades installed along roads to facilitate their movement. Several groups began moving towards Sunlight Colony, CV Raman Marg, Ghazipur, and Mayur Vihar, many travelling on trucks fitted with boom boxes.

Police said Kanwariyas are currently moving in small batches, while the Dak Kanwariyas are expected to arrive within the next one or two days. The processions are scheduled to continue until August 11.