New Delhi:
Delhi Rain: Heavy rainfall brought Delhi to a standstill yesterday, causing severe waterlogging in several parts of the national capital.

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New Delhi:

The death of three civil service aspirants at a Delhi coaching centre has sent a shockwave across the city, especially within the student community. One such student, has reached out to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, seeking immediate action into those responsible for the death of 3 UPSC aspirants in Rajinder Nagar after the basement of their coaching centre was flooded.

Avinash Dubey, a UPSC aspirant himself, has written a letter to the CJI demanding action against city officials and others responsible for the deaths. He also requested DY Chandrachud to direct the Delhi government and civic body MCD to take appropriate steps to tackle the waterlogging issue.

Here is the full text of the letter Avinash Dubey wrote to CJI DY Chandrachud over the three deaths at a Delhi coaching centre:

Respected Chief Justice Supreme Court of India

Subject – To protect our fundamental rights

Sir, I am Avinash Dubey who is staying in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar and preparing for civil services. Yesterday, on 27 July 2024, 3 of our student mates who were preparing for Civil Services in a coaching institute in Old Rajendra Nagar lost their lives in an unfortunate manner without any fault of theirs. It has come to light that some students were taking coaching in the basement of a coaching institute. Due to rain, the basement was flooded and the 3 students lost their lives after getting trapped there. Sir, areas like Mukherjee Nagar, Old Rajendra Nagar of Delhi have been facing the problem of waterlogging every year due to the apathy of the municipality here. Due to lack of cleanliness, the drain water reaches the main road and sometimes even enters houses. We have to walk through knee-deep drain water. Sir, due to the indifference of the municipality and the Delhi government, today students like us are living a hell-like life for our preparation. Students like us are moving towards our goals by whatever means we can. But, yesterday’s incident has proved that the lives of students are not safe. Delhi government and municipality have made us helpless just like insects. Sir, it is our fundamental right to study while living a healthy life, unfortunately the Delhi government and municipality are completely indifferent to it due to which the lives of students like us are in danger. The above incident is extremely heartbreaking and worrying. Due to waterlogging, there is a serious threat to the safety and health of the students studying in the centre. In such a situation, there is a need for students to get a safe and healthy environment, so that they can continue their studies without any fear and can contribute to the progress of the country in the near future. Keeping in mind the interests of the students, it is necessary that the concerned authorities take immediate effective steps and provide a permanent solution to the problem of waterlogging. Apart from this, there is also a need to strengthen emergency services and security measures at the coaching centre. Proper evacuation routes, first aid facilities and regular sanitation arrangements should be ensured for the students. Keeping in mind the concerns of parents and guardians of students, coaching centers should get regular structural inspections done and be prepared to deal with problems like waterlogging. The future and lives of students are extremely valuable, and keeping them safe from such incidents should be our priority. Therefore, you are respectfully requested to protect the lives and fundamental rights of students like us and please order appropriate action against those responsible for the death of our 3 student brothers.

New Delhi:

Delhi residents, still recovering from the after-effects of the record-breaking downpour on Friday, must brace for more rain. The weather office has issued an orange alert for the national capital, predicting heavy rainfall today and tomorrow.

According to the India Meteorological Department’s colour-coded warning system, an orange alert asks people to be prepared for heavy rain.

The first two days of Monsoon in Delhi led to waterlogging in several low-lying areas and also claimed 11 lives. The city recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall when the Monsoon struck on Friday — the highest single-day June rainfall since 1936.

IMD scientist Soma Sen told NDTV that the Monsoon is advancing and several parts of north India are likely to receive heavy rain. “Eastern UP has been covered and in the next two-three days, western UP and Haryana will be covered,” she said.

Visuals of vehicles stuck in flooded underpasses and residents wading through water to get essential items flashed on TV screens since Friday morning. As the day progressed, news of deaths started coming in. The dead include several children, who drowned in ditches, and commuters stuck in flooded underpasses. A wall collapse incident at Vasant Vihar also claimed three lives. At Delhi airport’sTerminal -1, a portion of the canopy collapsed amid the heavy rain, crushing several cars. A cab driver, who was waiting for passengers, died in the incident.   

Waterlogging disrupted traffic movement in several areas, including the Pragati Maidan tunnel, which remained closed yesterday too.

Civic officials have said manpower has been ramped up to handle waterlogging complaints. New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay told news agency PTI that four additional pumps are on standby basis at Golf Links and Bharti Nagar areas that reeled due to waterlogging on Friday.

“Three super suction machines mounted on vehicles will keep patrolling the vulnerable areas. We have also deployed additional staff and cancelled off-days of all staff,” he said. “CCTV cameras are being used to monitor vulnerable areas,” another official said.

Officials in Municipal Corporation of Delhi said their central control room is working round the clock. “In total, 72 permanent pumping stations were functional and working as per requirement, in addition 465 mobile/submersible pumps of different capacities were arranged to clear waterlogging. Manpower was adequately deployed in tandem with machines for quick release of water,” an official told PTI.

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has inspected the most-affected areas and drainage systems, a statement said. Mr Saxena found drains choked with garbage, debris and sludge, it added.

Weather experts have flagged extreme weather events in the national capital over the past few years. They have noted that Delhi receives around 650 mm of rainfall during Monsoon. And weather data shows the city received one-third of this on the first day alone.