The national capital, including parts of the NCR, witnessed a heavy downpour on Friday evening. While the rainfall brought a change in weather on the festival of Krishna Janmashtami, it also caused waterlogging in areas, including the Delhi airport, where such disruption raised concerns.
Videos circulating on social media showed rainwater accumulated across the airport premises. Airport staff could be seen continuing their work, while travellers moved through the waterlogged areas carrying their luggage.
The heavy rain also affected flight operations. A Delhi airport source told Times Now that nine flights were diverted between 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM due to bad weather. Of these, four flights were diverted to Jaipur, four to Lucknow and one to Ahmedabad.
The Delhi Airport also issued a statement regarding the situation, saying, “Delhi Airport witnessed heavy rainfall this afternoon; as a result, the approach road and forecourt areas experienced water accumulation. The accumulated water was cleared within some time. The inclement weather also impacted flight operations, which led to the delays and diversion of some flights. Our on-ground teams are diligently working with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience.”
A passenger at the Delhi airport, while speaking to ANI, described the situation and said, “I’ve never seen anything like this; there is so much water. I’ve been standing here for about half an hour now. I am waiting for the water level to recede a bit so I can head towards the arrival gates.”
The waterlogging visuals also drew criticism on social media, with users questioning the condition of the airport infrastructure. One user wrote, “After 7.8 per cent GDP, the government couldn't resist providing luxurious amenities.” Another commented, “World-class infrastructure,” while another said, “This is exactly what we don’t want.”
The heavy rainfall therefore disrupted both movement around the Delhi airport and flight operations, with water accumulation, delays and diversions affecting passengers during the evening rush.
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