NEW DELHI: Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds on Friday morning served as a test for the Delhi Government and civic authorities to evaluate their readiness for this monsoon.
Waterlogging was reported across the city, with persistent issues at notorious locations including Dhaula Kuan, Minto Road, ITO, Lajpat Nagar, Ring Road, Airport Road, Mundka, and New Friends Colony.
To assess the situation, Delhi PWD minister Parvesh Verma visited the waterlogged Minto Road underpass. Commuters also reported waterlogging on Najafgarh Road near Janakpuri Metro Station, Pankha Road (behind Dabri Mor Metro station gate no 3), Jantar Mantar, Subroto Park, Manju Ka Tila, Sadiq Nagar, Moti Bagh, Ramjas Road Karol Bagh, NIA headquarters, Pitampura, East Vinod Nagar Block A, and Rohini Sector 3 Pocket G-28.
Geetanjali Nigam, a resident of G Block South Extension II, stated that roads in her area were in poor condition for a long time, and they struggled to commute, especially during rains, due to severe waterlogging. “Even the main road connecting to AIIMS was heavily waterlogged on Friday,” she said on ‘X’.
Expressing surprise at the waterlogging on the airport flyover in South Delhi, Sunil Kumar Singh stated on ‘X’, “It’s shameful and a matter of concern for Delhi people and the govt of Delhi. Waterlogging on the inner Ring Road flyover leading to the airport, which is at an elevation of almost 6 metres above ground level, shows complete ignorance from the authorities concerned. May God save us!”
The underpasses at Dwarka, Kishanganj, Minto Road, Bhairon Marg, Azadpur, and Jwalaheri showed no signs of improvement, severely disrupting traffic flow, demonstrating that previous experiences did not lead to effective solutions. These were lashed with water, and commuters avoided taking them.
During an inspection of Majnu Ka Tila and surrounding areas, CM Rekha Gupta acknowledged the poor conditions. She highlighted issues such as missing drains, no desilting, damaged roads, and the overall deteriorating state of Delhi requiring immediate attention.
Gupta also stated on ‘X’, “I inspected the situation of waterlogging in various areas of Delhi, including Majnu Ka Tila, due to rain. There is a problem of waterlogging in many areas of Delhi. In some places, there are no drains; in others, the drains are clogged, and in some, the roads are damaged.
Delhi is in a very bad state and needs urgent improvement. It is an alarming situation, and all departments and agencies must take today’s rain as a warning to begin addressing areas prone to waterlogging. We have directed our officers and departments to take immediate action wherever there is an issue of waterlogging.”
“Waterlogging is the previous govt’s mess. We’re cleaning it up on the ground,” said Gupta further as rain choked the city.
In East Delhi, waterlogging was also reported in various parts of the city, including Anand Vihar and Patparganj. Patparganj BJP MLA Ravindra Singh Negi said, “They (AAP) were in power for 12 years, and we have been in power for only 65 days.
In these 65 days, we have started the work of cleaning drains… Now officers and ministers will be seen on the road; we will not sit at home like the people of AAP…”
The status of the underpass at Africa Avenue Marg and nearby roads was assessed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officials later in the day. NDMC Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal said, “…This time, you will see that our traffic is running smoothly on Africa Avenue Road.
There is some waterlogging in some places; our four pumps are running, and we are pumping out all the water. We have also cleaned the sewers on time. Our resolution is that no citizen should face any inconvenience.”

Vizhinjam International Seaport 
| Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran

The political tug-of-over over claiming credit for the realisation of the Vizhinjam International Seaport continued to rage on, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioning the country’s first dedicated transshipment port on Friday (May 2, 2025).

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who opted out of the ceremony, shared a video of former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s speech made in the Kerala Assembly on the Vizhinjam port on June 8, 2015.

His Facebook post read: “Oommen Chandy is no longer with us. Yet, he lives on in the hearts of the people as a chapter of history that cannot be erased. Those who deliberately try to forget or rewrite history are the ones who fear even the memories of Oommen Chandy. Wishing all the best to the Vizhinjam Port.”

He had accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF)-led State government of making attempts to erase the legacy of Oommen Chandy.

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In his Assembly speech, Chandy declared the long-cherished dream of the Vizhinjam port was finally becoming a reality. He emphasised that the project would advance while safeguarding the interests of the State.

“We welcome any constructive criticism,” he had stated. “However, the Opposition’s efforts to derail the project by making allegations of corruption will not succeed.”

Earlier in the day, Congress leader M. Vincent, who represents the Kovalam Assembly constituency where the port is located, paid tribute at the tomb of the former Chief Minister in Kottayam. Accompanied by Chandy’s son and fellow MLA Chandy Oommen, Mr. Vincent offered prayers and hailed the late Congress leader as the “father of the Vizhinjam Port”.

Speaking to the media before leaving to take part in the ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Vincent credited Oommen Chandy’s unwavering commitment for making the project a reality, despite sustained political opposition from the LDF. He added that the former Chief Minister not only completed all project formalities, but also overcame legal challenges by approaching the Supreme Court on various occasions.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, credited the achievement to the resolve of the government. In a Facebook post on Thursday evening, he wrote: “As this (LDF) government enters its tenth year, the Vizhinjam International Seaport is set to be commissioned tomorrow as a gift to every Malayali. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating the port to the nation tomorrow (May 2), Kerala is marking its place on the global maritime map.

“This moment signals the dawn of a new era of development. It is the willpower of the Kerala government, along with the steadfast support of the people, that has turned this long-cherished dream into a reality,” he said.