Delhi on high alert as Yamuna nears danger mark, flood preparations intensify

A flood warning was issued by the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department on Monday following an unprecedented discharge of over 3.22 lakh cusecs from Haryana’s Hathnikund barrage—the highest this season—driven by heavy rainfall in the upper Yamuna catchment area.

Parvesh Sahib Singh, Cabinet Minister in the Government of NCT of Delhi, announced on X, “With over 3 lakh cusecs of water released from Hathnikund, Yamuna’s level is rising and may cross the danger mark later tonight. I want to assure every citizen — there is no need to panic. Delhi Govt is on high alert, teams are on the ground, and we are fully committed to safeguarding every Delhiite.” Rising waters and urgent warnings

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has warned that the Yamuna’s water level at the Old Railway Bridge (ORB) could cross 206 meters on September 2, potentially reaching 206.50 meters, the threshold for mandatory evacuations.

On Monday, the river level was recorded at 204.87 meters at 1:00 PM, just above the warning mark of 204.50 meters, and climbed to 204.94 meters by 5:00 PM.

The surge is attributed to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, compounded by significant water releases from the Hathnikund barrage. Water from the barrage typically takes 36 to 48 hours to reach Delhi, providing a critical window for preparations.

However, the intensity of this year’s monsoon and the volume of water released—peaking at 3.29 lakh cusecs on Monday morning—have raised fears of a repeat of the 2023 floods, which displaced nearly 25,000 people and inundated key areas like Civil Lines, Mukherjee Nagar, and ITO.To mitigate risks, District Magistrate (Shahdara) Rishita Gupta ordered the closure of traffic and public movement on the ORB from 5:00 PM on Tuesday. “In view of possible flooding in the Yamuna River due to an increase in its level beyond the danger mark, you are hereby directed to close down the traffic and public movement on the bridge,” the order read, as reported in Indian Express.

During this period, traffic will be diverted via Hanuman Setu, Raja Ram Kohli Marg, and Geeta Colony Road. The Delhi Police has issued an advisory urging people to avoid traveling near the Old Iron Bridge. People living along the Yamuna River have started evacuating low-lying areas. Several teams of administrative officials are also working to alert the public. Places like the Majnu Ka Tila area have been inundated with water, and people are being evacuated from there.

Notably, Delhi government officials are going door-to-door in low-lying areas, alerting residents and facilitating their evacuation.The 2023 floods, when the Yamuna reached 208.66 meters after a record discharge of 3.59 lakh cusecs from Hathnikund, had left Delhi in a state of vulnerability.