- Delhi's notorious monsoon flood hotspots remained mostly waterlogging-free after Thursday's heavy rain
- Key underpasses like Minto Bridge, Dhaula Kuan, Moolchand, and Zakhira saw smooth traffic flow
- Delhi government credited improved drainage, pump deployment, and 24x7 Monsoon Control Room efforts
Every monsoon, Delhi's biggest test isn't just how much it rains, but whether its most notorious flooding hotspots can withstand it.
Thursday's downpour put that to the test.
While heavy rain led to waterlogging and traffic disruptions in parts of the capital, an NDTV ground check found that several of Delhi's chronic flood-prone corridors, including Minto Bridge, Dhaula Kuan underpass, Moolchand underpass, Zakhira underpass, the AIIMS corridor, the ITO stretch, Azadpur underpass and Sarai Kale Khan, remained free of waterlogging and traffic continued to move.
The Hotspots Everyone Watches
The significance of Thursday's rain lies in the history of these roads.
Minto Bridge, perhaps Delhi's most recognisable monsoon hotspot, has repeatedly grabbed headlines with images of submerged buses, stranded cars and rescue operations. In 2020, a mini-truck driver died after his vehicle got trapped in floodwater beneath the bridge. The underpass flooded again in 2021 despite the installation of high-capacity pumps and water-level sensors. It remained largely waterlogging-free through last year's monsoon after drainage upgrades, and Thursday's rain suggested that improvement has continued.
Other locations have an equally familiar history. The Dhaula Kuan underpass, a key route connecting central Delhi with the airport, has frequently witnessed water accumulation that brought traffic to a crawl. The Moolchand and Zakhira underpasses have long figured among Delhi's chronic monsoon trouble spots.
The ITO stretch and the AIIMS corridor have also repeatedly witnessed rainwater accumulation that slowed traffic on some of the capital's busiest roads. The Azadpur underpass was among the worst-hit locations during the 2024 monsoon, when vehicles were stranded after the road filled with rainwater. Sarai Kale Khan, one of Delhi's busiest transport hubs, has similarly witnessed repeated rain-related disruptions over the years.
Why This Rain Was Different
Against that backdrop, Thursday's spell offered a noticeably different picture.
Despite sustained rainfall, traffic continued to move through these traditionally vulnerable corridors without the scenes of stranded vehicles or flooded underpasses that have defined previous monsoons.
For commuters using some of Delhi's busiest roads, the absence of waterlogging at these locations stood out even as rain continued to lash the city.
Inside Delhi's Monsoon Control Plan
The Delhi government attributed the improvement to months of pre-monsoon preparation.
PWD Minister Parvesh Verma reviewed the situation from the department's 24x7 Monsoon Control Room, where officials monitored vulnerable locations through live CCTV feeds and coordinated emergency response teams.
According to the Public Works Department, 45 priority waterlogging locations are under continuous surveillance through 179 CCTV cameras. The department has deployed 754 permanent pumps at 167 locations and 305 temporary pumps at 273 locations across Delhi as part of its monsoon preparedness plan.
Officials also informed the minister that around 120 complaints were received over the past 48 hours through the control room, helpline and WhatsApp chatbot. Most waterlogging-related complaints were attended to within 15 to 30 minutes, depending on rainfall intensity and site conditions.
"There was a time when Delhiites would worry every time it rained because waterlogging meant blocked roads, stranded vehicles and hours of inconvenience. Today's rainfall has shown that when preparation meets commitment, results are visible on the ground," Verma said after the review.
But The Rain Still Found Weak Spots
The respite, however, wasn't citywide.
Heavy rain led to waterlogging in Burari and along stretches of the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, slowing traffic and affecting commuters. Several other low-lying areas also reported water accumulation, fallen trees and congestion following the downpour.
The contrast was hard to miss. While Delhi's traditional monsoon bottlenecks held up during NDTV's ground check, other vulnerable pockets of the capital continued to struggle under heavy rain.
