NEW DELHI: More than 10,000 people across 28 city spots were displaced as Yamuna crossed the danger mark (205.33m) early Tuesday and, by the evening, was flowing more than a metre above the level, well over the evacuation mark.
The river crossed 206m for the first time this season at 4pm. By 10pm, Yamuna was flowing at 206.4m. The Central Water Commission said the river is likely to touch 206.9m by 7am Wednesday and continue to rise thereafter, likely crossing the 207m mark that has been breached on just four occasions in the past 63 years.
Officials said the Old Railway Bridge has been shut from both sides as part of standard flood-control measures to prevent accidents.
Meanwhile, a consistent discharge of over one lakh cusecs from Haryana's Hathnikund barrage since Tuesday morning, which had slowly begun to inch closer to 2 lakh cusecs by 10pm, is set to increase Delhi's woes. It could mean that the river was likely to remain in spate for at least a few days.
According to DM East Amol Srivastav, the nodal officer to manage the situation, about 10,000 people displaced from low-lying areas have been placed in different camps spread across over 28 locations across 11 divisions of east, north, north-east, central, Shahdara, and south-east districts. He said the National Disaster Management Authority has been alerted.
To ease congestion, diversions have been implemented. Traffic coming towards the Old Railway Bridge from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Old Delhi Railway Station and Red Fort is being diverted via Hanuman Setu towards Outer Ring Road, Raja Ram Kohli Marg and Geeta Colony Road. Vehicles from Rajghat and Shanti Van are being diverted through Bela Road T-Point.
Traffic from northeast Delhi - spanning Shahdara, Seelampur and Shastri Park - is being routed through Pushta Road and the loop on Raja Ram Kohli Marg. From east Delhi, including Akshardham, Mayur Vihar and Pandav Nagar, vehicles are being redirected through Geeta Colony Flyover, Shanti Van Chowk and Ring Road.
Traffic police urged commuters to avoid the Old Iron Bridge and nearby stretches, allow extra travel time and use public transport wherever possible. Motorists have also been advised to park only in designated areas and stay alert while driving.
According to data with Delhi govt's irrigation and flood control department, in the last 63 years, the river breached the 205m mark in 43 years, 206m mark 14 times, but crossed the 207m mark in only four years, including the 2023 all-time-high level of 208.66m.
"As per current indications, the water level will likely touch 206.90 metres by 7am on Wednesday, Thereafter, it will likely rise further," said a statement by CWC at 7pm on Tuesday, stating the forecast will further be impacted by releases from Okhla and Wazirabad barrages.
"As the water level has exceeded 206.34 metres (at 9 pm), Railways has imposed a 'Stop Dead' and 10 km/h speed restriction at Old Loha Pul. This means trains will come to a complete stop before proceeding across the bridge at a maximum speed of 10kmph. The bridge connects Old Delhi Railway Station to Shahdara in Delhi and is crucial for trains coming from Uttar Pradesh on one side and Punjab on the other," an official said.
Yamuna received over three lakh cusecs of water from Haryana's Hathnikund barrage between 8am to 5pm on Monday, after heavy rainfall in the Himalayas. The usual discharge from Hathnikund barrage is less than 50,000 cusecs. The discharge touched a high of 3.23 lakh cusecs by noon, and stood at 2.23 lakh by 11pm on Monday. On Tuesday morning, the discharge had dropped below 2 lakh cusecs. It further dipped to 1.13 lakh cusecs by 8pm before inching up again to 1.76 lakh cusecs by 10 pm. The water released from Hathnikund often impacts the city in 36 to 48 hours.
In July 2023, when Delhi saw its worst floods, the discharge remained well above one lakh cusecs for five days, while the peak discharge was observed at 3.59 lakh cusecs on July 11. The city was flooded by July 13, 2023.
According to Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator at the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, Yamuna has a history of bringing high-level floods in the late monsoon months of Aug and Sept, and he blamed beautification projects like Vasudev Ghat for making the flooding more acute.
"The river has already started claiming part of its occupied and abused floodplain stretches. Beautification projects on the floodplain like Vasudev Ghat, through which the river enters the main road as well as Asita East and West, Yamuna Vanasthali, Amrut, Kalindi and Mayur Vihar floodplain projects are likely to be submerged by Wednesday," said Rawat.