Heavy rains lashed Delhi on Friday, leading to waterlogging in several areas, traffic snarls and the death of an autorickshaw driver who fell into a ditch. According to police, the autorickshaw driver was identified as Ajit Sharma, 51 years old , a resident of Nandanagri. He drowned in a ditch filled with rainwater after his vehicle accidently fell into it in northeast Delhi's Harsh Vihar area.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey said a PCR call was received around 3.30 pm about a man drowning in a ditch near the service road alongside Wazirabad Road. The officer said the ditch, which was dug up near an under-construction flyover, was filled with rainwater. Preliminary enquiry suggests the man did not realise the depth of the ditch, and tried to drive over it and drowned accidentally, Tirkey said.

 His autorickshaw was found stuck in the ditch and his body was found stuck to the front wheel of the vehicle, the DCP added.  Police said there were no injury marks on the body. They added that the body would be handed over to the family after post-mortem examination even as further investigation was in progress.

Meanwhile, rainwater also entered the Delhi Secretariat premises. A video shared by a Twitter user on the microblogging site showed some people wading through ankle-high water at the Delhi Secretariat with their shoes in their hands.

Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter to inform people about the waterlogged routes and urged them to plan their journeys accordingly.

Delhi registered the highest number of 'good to moderate' air quality days this year since 2016, barring COVID-19 affected 2020, the environment ministry said on Friday.

“The number of 'Good to Moderate' Air Quality Days for the first half-year period (January to June) was 30 in the year 2016; 57 in 2017; 65 in 2018; 78 in 2019; 126 in 2020; 84 in 2021; 54 in 2022; and 101 in the current year 2023,” the ministry said in a statement.