NEW DELHI: The Yamuna river rose sharply on Tuesday, crossing the danger mark of 205.33 metres and touching 206.4m by 10 p.m., prompting large-scale evacuations and traffic disruptions in the capital. Authorities warned that the water level could reach 206.9m by Wednesday morning and possibly breach the 207m mark, crossed only four times in the last 63 years—including the 2023 record of 208.66m.
More than 10,000 residents from 28 low-lying spots have been shifted to relief camps across 11 districts, officials said. The Old Railway Bridge (Loha Pul) has been shut as a precaution, with railways imposing a 10 km/h speed cap and “Stop Dead” restrictions for trains crossing the stretch.
The surge is being fuelled by heavy discharges from Haryana’s Hathnikund barrage, where flows crossed 3.2 lakh cusecs on Monday before dipping below 2 lakh cusecs Tuesday morning. By evening, releases had risen again to 1.76 lakh cusecs, raising fears that the river would stay in spate for several days.
Traffic police announced diversions across major corridors, rerouting vehicles from Kashmere Gate, ISBT, Red Fort, Rajghat, Akshardham, and Shahdara. Commuters have been urged to avoid Loha Pul, allow extra travel time, and use public transport where possible.
Experts warned that recent beautification projects on the Yamuna floodplains—including Vasudev Ghat, Asita East and West, Kalindi, and Mayur Vihar stretches—are likely to be inundated. “The river is reclaiming its abused floodplain stretches,” said Bhim Singh Rawat of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.
The Central Water Commission said the water level will continue to rise, depending on releases from Okhla and Wazirabad barrages. Officials recalled that in July 2023, when Delhi saw its worst floods in decades, sustained discharges above one lakh cusecs for five days submerged parts of the city.
