Delhi rains: CM Kejriwal keeping an eye on waterlogged areas, says Raghav Chadha

After a body was found under Delhi's Minto Bridge on Sunday morning, the police have said that the person, identified as Kundan Singh, may have died due to drowning. Indian Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorm with rain in the national capital and neighbouring areas till July 21.

New Delhi: Amid criticism over the waterlogging situation in Delhi, Delhi Jal Board Vice-Chairman, Raghav Chadha on Sunday said that there are several such areas in Delhi which are being monitored.

"We shall send pumps immediately to areas in which waterlogging is reported. He also said that the BJP-led Delhi Municipal Corporation is the "most corrupt department."

Slamming the Delhi government for its 'irresponsible' attitude, North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should take responsibility after a man, identified as Kundan Singh, allegedly drowned and died at the waterlogged Minto Bridge here.

Prakash, inspecting the site of the accident said, "Such incidents will continue to occur until the Delhi government gets rid of its irresponsible attitude. The Chief Minister should take responsibility and announce an ex gratia for the kin of the deceased."

He further questioned the Kejriwal-led government for their response to the waterlogging situation, following heavy rainfall, in the national capital today.

"Multiple agencies such as PWD (Public Works Department) and Delhi Jal Board fall under Delhi government's jurisdiction, but where are they? We [Municipal Corporation] have been out on the streets since morning working on the waterlogging situation. But where are the Delhi Ministers?" he asked.

The police have said that the person, identified as Kundan Singh, may have died due to drowning. Aged 60, Singh was a goods carrier driver, operating commercial vehicle -- Tata Ace at the time of the incident, confirmed the Delhi Police. A bus driver, conductor and an auto-rickshaw driver were, however, rescued by the firefighters.

He was travelling from New Delhi Railway Station towards Connaught Place via Minto Bridge this morning, wherein he got stuck due to the waterlogging after the overnight rainfall. It appears he tried to manoeuvre his vehicle through the underpass, but could not. It seems that he died by drowning," the police said.

"We work together as drivers. At around 8 am, my employer called and asked me to check the Minto Bridge area where one of our vehicles was stuck. We reached here and saw that the whole vehicle was submerged. We identified our driver from his cap and t-shirt, and once the body was pulled out, we could confirm that it was Kundan Singh, my co-worker," Alam said.

READ: Delhi rains: Passengers rescued from bus stuck in waterlogged road

Ram Niwas Meena, who works in the engineering department as a trackman in the New Delhi yard, pulled Singh's body out of the waterlogged area.

Delhi's Minto Bridge waterlogged

"I was on duty on the track above the bridge when I saw the body floating in the water underneath. I came down as soon as possible and pulled the body out, it was floating in front of the bus," Meena said.

Earlier today, a bus got stuck in a waterlogged road under Minto Bridge, following which fire department personnel arrived at the site to rescue people on-board.

Indian Meteorological Department, on early Sunday morning, had predicted that the rain and thundershowers with lightning were likely to continue for next two-three hours in Delhi-NCR.

READ:Heavy rains lash Delhi-NCR

The department has predicted thunderstorm with rain in the national capital and neighbouring areas till July 21.

"Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on July 19," as per the weather agency.

As per the IMD's local weather report and forecast for New Delhi-Safdarjung, the maximum temperature on July 18 was recorded at 36.4 degrees Celsius and maximum temp at 29.3 degrees Celsius.

(Inputs from Agency)