Delhi waterlogged after heavy rains: L-G lauds 'swift action'; AAP calls it 'four-engine' failure

A heavy overnight downpour brought the national capital to a standstill on Sunday, sparking a fresh political face-off between the ruling BJP-led administration and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which criticised what it called the “complete failure” of Delhi’s so-called ‘four-engine government’, PTI reported.

Between 11.30 pm on Saturday and 5.30 am on Sunday, the city received 81.2 mm of rainfall, accompanied by gusty winds up to 82 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department. The storm led to widespread waterlogging, uprooted trees, snapped power lines and disrupted air traffic, prompting emergency response efforts through the early hours.

As per India Today report, several key intersections and underpasses - Sarai Kale Khan, Minto Road, ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Chanakyapuri and Peeragarhi among them - were left submerged, bringing back images of the capital’s chronic monsoon troubles. A car was seen almost fully submerged under the Minto Bridge, a location that has long been a flood-prone spot during rains.

Amid the chaos, AAP leaders took to social media, slamming the BJP and accusing the city’s Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma of being “missing in action” during the crisis. Sharing multiple videos of inundated roads and neighbourhoods, AAP alleged that Verma was abroad, even as the capital struggled to cope.

“If a minister has to travel abroad, he needs clearance from the Home Ministry. That means everyone knows that Sahib Singh is not in India. Why is the BJP hiding this fact in a time of crisis?” AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj asked in a post on X. He also highlighted waterlogging in Verma’s native area Mundka, questioning his absence from action.

Echoing the criticism, AAP leader and former Delhi minister Atishi asked on X: “Where is PWD Minister Parvesh Verma hiding? Why is he not on the ground even after waterlogging has happened?”

Adding fuel to the political fire, Atishi linked to a news report suggesting that the Delhi government was considering disciplinary action against PWD officials over the flooding. According to PTI, a junior engineer and pump operator were set to be suspended and a show-cause notice was issued to an assistant engineer. This despite previous warnings from Verma instructing strict action in flood-prone zones.

Retweeting Atishi, Bharadwaj quipped: “Who is issuing these ghost suspension orders in absence of the Minister? Who is running his Ministry?”

The AAP released videos from ITO, Minto Bridge, Dhaula Kuan and even Chanakyapuri - home to several embassies - claiming that there was not a single neighbourhood unaffected by waterlogging. “This is the reality of BJP’s failed four-engine government,” the party wrote in a series of posts on X.

The BJP, however, defended its handling of the situation. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the city saw a massive storm late Saturday night, but by early morning, restoration work was underway.

“Following instructions from Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, BJP MLAs, councillors and officials from the PWD and Delhi Jal Board were on the ground early morning. By 9 am, most trees were cleared and water receded from major roads,” he said in a statement, quoted PTI.

Sachdeva added that unlike the previous AAP-led administration, which “blamed officials and left citizens helpless,” the BJP government had shown accountability by ensuring swift response despite it being a Sunday.

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena also praised ongoing efforts to resolve the issue and shared videos of flowing drains on X, attributing the problems to “a decade of neglect”. He wrote: “It is encouraging to see the Irrigation & Flood Control Department striving to make our drains flow and mitigate waterlogging amidst heavy unexpected rains… The new government’s efforts at governance are indeed gratifying.”

The Delhi government has designated 335 vulnerable locations under flood-risk watch. Still, questions remain over the PWD’s preparedness and real-time response, especially with reports that top officials were unaware of the minister’s whereabouts.