After days of heatwave-like conditions, Delhi and its neighbouring cities got some respite on Tuesday with heavy rainfall. However, the incessant downpour caused the diversion of at least 14 flights at the Delhi airport, as well as waterlogging and traffic congestion in several areas.
Heavy Rain Causes Flight Diversions & Waterlogging Across Delhi
According to The Indian Express, while the rain brought much-needed relief to people in the Delhi-NCR region, it also caused major inconvenience. To begin with, heavy waterlogging was reported in areas around Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. This caused traffic to snarl near one of the busiest airports in the world.
Adding to flyers’ woes, around 14 flights were diverted from the Delhi airport due to rain and bad weather conditions. Between 1 PM and 5 PM, at least 14 flights were diverted from the airport. Airport authorities took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue a travel advisory and warn passengers of a possible impact on flight operations due to the “inclement weather”. Major airlines like Air India and IndiGo also took to X to urge passengers to reach the airport early and check flight status.
Reportedly, the Public Works Department (PWD) got more than 20 complaints concerning waterlogging on key stretches across Delhi. Some of the worst affected areas after the rain were Delhi Cantonment, Zakhira Underpass, Pul Prahladpur, ITO, Delhi-Najafgarh Road and Delhi-Rohtak Road. Waterlogging on these roads affected vehicular movement and PWD deployed workers to clear out the water from these roads using pumps.
Rain Water Enters IGI Airport’s Terminal 1
Social media was flooded with videos and photos of how rain brought Delhi to a standstill. The most surprising ones were those captured by people at the Delhi airport. The heavy rainfall led to water falling from the false ceiling and into parts of the food court at the newly renovated Terminal 1.
The airport authorities acknowledged the incident and mentioned that this happened due to overflowing drains on the rooftop. Visuals of the housekeeping staff using buckets to collect water and clear the area of the airport also went viral.
Also Read: Delhi Airport’s Only Liquor Outlet Is Grappling To Survive; Here’s Why
Do you love Delhi rains? Let us know in the comments.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/@Justcatsnmee & X/@ananyyye
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