Delhi floods: Red Fort closed for visitors; Schools, colleges closed till Sunday due to Yamuna’s water level

New Delhi: Amid a flood-like situation in Delhi and Yamuna water reaching the walls of the Red Fort, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Thursday said the iconic monument will remain closed for public on Friday.

The announcement comes after the Directorate of Education (DOE) said that all government and private schools in the national capital will remain closed till July 16 in view of the rising Yamuna water level.

In a tweet, the ASI said, “In view of heavy monsoon and rains, and prioritizing safety and well-being, Red Fort, Delhi will remain closed from 13th to 14th July, 2023 for the second half of the year.”

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In view of heavy monsoon and rainfall, and to give priority to safety and well-being, Red Fort, Delhi will remain closed till the second half of July 13 to 14, 2023. pic.twitter.com/5Cb9lOinWT– Archaeological Survey of India (@ASIGoI) 13 July 2023

Yamuna’s water level has stabilized but many areas are still submerged

Roads turned into rivers and water entered houses, cremation grounds and shelter homes, affecting daily life in the national capital, while the Yamuna’s water level stabilized after reaching 208.62 metres, surpassing the all-time record set 45 years ago. by a significant margin.

Central Water Commission (CWC) director Sharad Chandra said the water flow rate at Hathinikund barrage in Haryana dropped to 80,000 cusecs at 4 pm.

“The water level has stabilised…it is expected to recede to 208.45 meters by 3 am on Friday,” he told PTI.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles, except those carrying essential goods, into the city from four borders including Singhu.

Delhi Flood News: Traffic disrupted due to rise in Yamuna’s water level

As traffic in the national capital, especially East Delhi, was severely affected due to road closures due to overflowing Yamuna, the city traffic police issued an advisory on restrictions and regulation of vehicular movement.

According to the advisory, traffic has been disrupted on Mahatma Gandhi Marg between IP flyover and Chandgi Ram Akhara, between Kalighat Temple and Delhi Secretariat and on Outer Ring Road between Wazirabad Bridge and Chandgi Ram Akhara.

The Delhi Metro, the lifeline of the city, was also affected due to the overflowing Yamuna water on the roads.

The DMRC on Thursday said that Delhi Metro trains are crossing four Yamuna bridges with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as a precautionary measure. Entry and exit of commuters at Yamuna Bank Metro station on Blue Line was temporarily closed due to rising water level in the river.

Twelve teams of the National Disaster Response Force, equipped with inflatable boats, ropes and other equipment, have been deployed in Delhi to help the administration in the rescue efforts.

According to a spokesperson of the force, three teams each have been deployed in Central, East and North-East Delhi, while two in South-East Delhi and one in Shahdara area of ​​the national capital.

Delhi floods: Capital grapples with water crisis

As the Yamuna flooded several areas of Delhi and rescue efforts intensified, the city faced a shortage of drinking water. The Delhi government has decided to cut supply by 25 per cent after shutting down three water treatment plants – Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who visited the Wazirabad water treatment plant, warned of rationalizing water supply to tackle the “severe shortage”. He, however, added that the water treatment plants would be restarted as soon as the situation becomes normal.

Yamuna’s water level broke the record so far!

A rapid rise in the water level of the Yamuna was recorded in Delhi in the last four days. It rose from 203.14 meters at 11 am on Sunday to 205.4 meters at 5 pm on Monday, crossing the danger mark of 205.33 meters 18 hours earlier than expected.

The river crossed the clearance mark of 206 meters on Monday night, prompting people living in flood-prone areas to shift to safer places and closing the old railway bridge for road and rail traffic.

The water level crossed the previous record of 207.49 meters by 1 pm on Wednesday and 208 meters by 10 pm.

Major floods occurred in Delhi in 1924, 1977, 1978, 1988, 1995, 1998, 2010 and 2013. An analysis of flood data from 1963 to 2010 indicates an increasing trend of floods in September and a decreasing trend in July. research.

However, the India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in the next few days.