The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi rose more than a meter above the danger mark of 205.33 meters on Monday morning. As a result, authorities took the precautionary measure of suspending train movements on the Old Railway Bridge (ORB). The river’s water level has been hovering around the danger mark since it reached a record high of 208.66 meters on July 13. Following heavy rain in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the discharge from the Hathnikund barrage increased, leading to the Yamuna breaching the danger mark again on Sunday.
Due to the rising water levels, train services between Delhi and Shahdara have been suspended, and trains will be diverted via New Delhi until the situation improves. This interruption is expected to impact ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in the flood-affected low-lying areas of the capital.
According to data from the Central Water Commission (CWC), the water level rose from 205.02 meters on Saturday night to 206.57 meters on Monday morning before starting to recede. The water level is expected to reach 206.42 meters by 2 pm. However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand until July 25, which may further affect the water level.
The floods have already impacted the rehabilitation process for affected families in low-lying areas, with some having to stay in relief camps for an extended period. Moreover, there are concerns about Delhi’s water supply, as the pump house at Wazirabad was inundated in mid-July, disrupting water supply for several days. The pump house supplies raw water to three treatment plants, which together account for around 25{66b0acea7e44836f9b35d2e1dfd840ac263b1a1482ef1ea42798163685e86d37} of the city’s water supply.
The recent flooding in Delhi has been unprecedented, attributed to factors such as encroachment on the river floodplain, intense rainfall within a short period, and silt accumulation that raised the river bed. More than 27,000 people have been evacuated, and the damages in terms of property and livelihoods have been significant. The situation calls for careful attention and better measures to manage and mitigate the impacts of such floods in the future.