AAP on Tuesday criticised the BJP-led Delhi government over widespread waterlogging in the national capital following heavy rainfall, alleging poor monsoon
preparedness after several roads, markets and residential areas were flooded. Delhi witnessed heavy rain that led to severe waterlogging across several parts of the city, disrupting traffic and affecting commuters, schoolchildren and businesses. AAP's Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj shared videos on X, alleging that the government's failure to tackle waterlogging had left residents struggling. In one of the videos, schoolchildren were seen being carried on their parents' shoulders through waist-deep water in Sadar Bazar. "In Sadar Bazar, one of Delhi's largest wholesale markets, schoolchildren are being forced to pass through waist-deep rainwater. Thank you, CM Rekha Gupta. After Gen Z, now Gen Alpha too will remain indebted to the BJP," Bharadwaj wrote. In another post, Bharadwaj shared visuals of commuters sitting inside a DTC bus with water accumulated on the floor. Taking a swipe at the BJP government, he wrote, "CRUISE & WATER SPORTS!! Rekha Gupta kept her first promise... and this water is dirtier than the Yamuna. BJP should seek votes only from the 'Republic of Minto Bridge', which was fixed in 2022."
He also alleged that waterlogged roads caused major inconvenience to commuters and shopkeepers, with several vehicles stranded in flooded stretches. Responding to the criticism, Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh shared a video from Minto Bridge showing traffic moving despite the rain. "Rain is pouring relentlessly but life on Minto Bridge is moving along at the same pace. The very effort is to ensure that monsoon remains just a season, not a trouble," he said.
Several parts of Delhi, including Rajendra Nagar, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Janpath, ITO, Kalindi Kunj, Azadpur, Malviya Nagar and the Ghazipur border, witnessed severe waterlogging after the downpour.
In Rajendra Nagar, roads were submerged, with cars, motorcycles and auto-rickshaws partially underwater. In Sadar Bazar, rainwater entered shops and flooded narrow lanes, forcing schoolchildren and residents to wade through knee-deep water.
According to traders, several shops remained shut as waterlogging disrupted business and damaged goods ahead of the festive season. Traffic also slowed across several major roads, with long queues reported near NH-9 at the Ghazipur border, ITO, Prahladpur and Kalindi Kunj. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning during the day.
Meanwhile, civic agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Public Works Department (PWD), received more than 100 complaints related to waterlogging, fallen trees and power outages following the heavy rainfall.
