'No Waterlogging At Minto Bridge This Time': Delhi Minister Shares 'Proof'

In a bid to silence critics and showcase improved civic preparedness, Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma on Wednesday recorded a self-shot video from the capital's most notorious monsoon choke point - the Minto Bridge underpass - to show that there was no waterlogging.

The minister's surprise inspection came after Delhi saw heavy rain on Wednesday evening. In the video, shared by his office, Mr Verma shows traffic flowing through the underpass. 

"The monsoon is welcome in Delhi. It has been raining for the past hour but there is no waterlogging at Minto Bridge - the same underpass where buses can be seen submerged every monsoon," Mr Verma says in the clip.

Delhi: Minister Parvesh Verma shared a video showing that the monsoon has arrived in Delhi and that the government's preparations are fully effective pic.twitter.com/yPyYGXqKxI

— IANS (@ians_india) July 9, 2025

The Minto Bridge underpass has long symbolised Delhi's waterlogging issues and people have also drowned there during the monsoon. The PWD said pre-emptive measures have been taken this year by desilting drains, repairing stormwater lines and deploying high-capacity pumps in vulnerable zones.

The minister's office also released a series of photographs from other waterlogging-prone sites - including the Prembari underpass, Ring Road, Saket Metro stretch, and the area around Max Hospital. All sites appeared dry and functional in the visuals.

Reality Check

NDTV went to some of the areas and found no waterlogging at Minto Bridge as well as a much-improved situation at ITO. However, some places - including areas near Barakhamba Road and Ajmeri Gate - witnessed flooded streets and traffic snarls, leaving commuters struggling.

PWD officials cited ongoing drainage upgradation in Central Delhi and bottlenecks as the reason for isolated issues. "These zones are under transition, but pumps have been deployed," a PWD engineer said. In some cases, traffic personnel were also seen helping clear clogged stretches and redirecting vehicles.

Opposition's Dig 

Aam Aadmi Party's Saurabh Bharadwaj, however, took a swipe at the minister.

दिल्ली का लुटियंस इलाका - PWD, जल और बाढ़ नियंत्रण मंत्री परवेश वर्मा के सरकारी निवास के पास की सड़क - सिर्फ़ एक घंटे की बारिश का हाल देखिए - pic.twitter.com/HPKstNTbFZ

— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) July 9, 2025

Sharing a video on X, he wrote, "Delhi's Lutyens area - the road near the official residence of PWD, Water, and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Verma - see the condition after just one hour of rain."