Waterlogging in Delhi affected seven in 10 residents in July as the Yamuna flooding, which lasted over three days, worsened the situation. At least 70 percent of residents faced one or more issues, with 39 percent of them losing working hours while 9 percent incurred vehicle repair costs, a survey showed.
Conducted by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, the survey shows that at least 4 percent of residents had some type of minor or major accident. An important lesson learned, it is critical that civic authorities start preparations for the 2024 monsoon now.
Heavy rain in the hill states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand coupled with continuous showers in Delhi-NCR led to an increase in the flow of water in the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana. This caused the Yamuna river to breach its banks mid-July, leading to flooding in parts of the national capital. Thousands of affected families living in low-lying areas were evacuated.
Earlier this week, too, water levels in the Yamuna rose but did not cause any kind of flooding. But throughout July, waterlogging has been a regular occurrence in Delhi-NCR.
According to the survey, in response to whether there were issues faced due to waterlogging in Delhi-NCR, 70 percent indicated they had indeed “experienced issues” while the remaining 30 percent of respondents replied in the negative.
At least 74 percent of those who faced issues due to waterlogging complained of being stuck in traffic snarls for long periods, while 39 percent said they lost working hours.
Among other issues faced due to waterlogging in Delhi-NCR, 9 percent indicated that their vehicle got submerged in water and they incurred vehicle repair costs. At least 4 percent said they suffered minor or major accidents, while 17 percent of respondents experienced other issues.
The survey brought to the fore the most pressing issue faced by Delhi-NCR residents – time spent stuck in traffic snarls due to waterlogging, leading to loss of working hours and productive time while many have also had to incur healthcare costs. But the question that all respondents asked was whether their taxes are being effectively used by the city and municipal bodies. Many are paying property and other municipal taxes.
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