The skies darkened and heavy rain lashed several parts of Delhi on Tuesday afternoon, taking many commuters and others by surprise. However, the downpour also sharply reduced visibility and
caused traffic jams and waterlogging in several areas. As many as 15 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport on Tuesday due to heavy rain in the national Capital.
As heavy rain lashed Delhi on Tuesday, triggered by a Western Disturbance that prompted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an orange alert, at least 15 flights were diverted at the city’s airport and traffic came to a grinding halt. The downpour, which began early in the day and intensified in the evening, led to severe congestion on several arterial roads, with commuters reporting being stuck in jams for hours.
At Palam Airport, visibility fell from 6,000 metres at 1.30 pm to 1,200 metres by 5 pm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Many parts of the city appeared gloomy during the day as rain continued to lash the city, brought on by the impact of a western
disturbance. Till 5.30 pm, the Palam weather station recorded 41.6 mm of rainfall, while Ridge recorded 37 mm. The city’s primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded 5.8 mm of rainfall, according to IMD data. The change in weather also caused a sharp dip in temperatures.
The city’s maximum temperature settled at 29.8 degree Celsius, 4.4 notches below normal. A sharp drop from Sunday’s high of 36 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature today was 21 degree celsius, 1.3 notches below normal.
Tuesday’s heavy rains brought traffic movement to a crawl across several parts of Delhi, leading to long snarls and severe inconvenience for commuters. Key arterial stretches were choked as waterlogging worsened congestion at multiple points.
Delhiites took to social media platform X to flag the situation and appeal for immediate intervention from traffic authorities. “There is a huge traffic jam on the Dwarka Expressway from Bamnoli and Chhawla. Kindly take immediate action,” a netizen wrote while tagging the Delhi Traffic Police.
Another commuter complained of “heavy and unprecedented traffic jam at the traffic light near Sadar Metro station on Dwarka Road,” urging officials from Delhi Cantt to “do the needful.” In East Delhi, residents reported severe waterlogging and slow movement of vehicles in Patparganj.
“Massive traffic jam in Patparganj due to severe waterlogging near Retreat Apartment,” a person wrote on X. According to traffic police officials, movement was hit in several stretches due to persistent rain and accumulation of water in low-lying areas. Long queues of vehicles were reported from Arya Samaj Road in Patparganj, Bara Tooti Chowk in Sadar Bazar, Old Rohtak Road, Shadipur Metro Station, and many more stretches. Congestion also affected commuters heading towards the airport, with heavy traffic reported from Connaught Place to Dhaula Kuan. Similar conditions prevailed on Roshanara Road and up to Azad Market Chowk red light, where vehicles moved bumper to bumper for long durations.
With intermittent showers continuing through the day, traffic police deployed additional personnel at key choke points to regulate movement. Commuters, meanwhile, continued to share visuals and updates of the city’s rain-induced
gridlock online, urging authorities to improve drainage and manage traffic more effectively.
As many as 15 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport due to heavy rain in the national Capital. The Delhi airport authority said that flight operations may be impacted due to adverse weather conditions in the national Capital on Tuesday. The airport authority in a statement said that, “Due to inclement weather conditions in Delhi, flight operations at Delhi Airport may be impacted.
“It further added that on-ground teams are working to ensure a smooth passenger experience and advised flyers to consider an alternative mode of transport, including the Delhi metro, to get to the airport. In addition to the Delhi Airport advisory, airlines including IndiGo and Air India have also issued warnings for the flyers for potential delays that can be caused due to the weather conditions.
The official said that out of the 15 flights, 8 were diverted to Jaipur, 5 to Lucknow and 2 to Chandigarh. “There’s a heavy downpour over #Delhi at the moment, causing some temporary disruption to flight schedules. If you’re travelling today, please be aware of potential delays and allow additional time for your journey, especially with traffic moving slower than usual.
“We’re monitoring the situation closely and will get you airborne as soon as possible,” IndiGo said in a post on X at 6.26 pm. At 4.41 pm, Air India, in a post on X, said rain may impact flight operations to and from Delhi on Tuesday.