Amid Flood-Like Situation In Delhi, Schools, Colleges Shut Till Sunday; WFH Order For Offices

New Delhi: Amid a flood-like situation Delhi and the water level in Yamuna River reaching all-time high at a staggering 208.48 metres, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced closure of schools and colleges in areas inundated with floodwater till Sunday. "All government and private schools are being closed in areas of Delhi where water is filling up," CM Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

 

यमुना में जलस्तर बढ़ने के बाद पैदा हुए हालात पर आज DDMA की बैठक हुई।

दिल्ली में सभी स्कूल, कॉलेज और यूनिवर्सिटी को रविवार तक के लिए बंद किया जा रहा है।

सभी non-essential सरकारी दफतरों को work from home से किया जा रहा है। प्राइवेट ऑफ़िस को भी Work from home लागू करने की… pic.twitter.com/kiPVHsyXMW — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 13, 2023

 

The Directorate of Education (DoE) also issued a circular directing closure of all government and private schools in low lying areas. “As waters of river Yamuna crossed the danger mark, the heads of all the Government and Private Schools in affected areas are hereby ordered to take adequate measures to ensure safety of the students. All schools in low lying areas where there is an imminent danger of flooding must be closed with immediate effect without waiting for any further orders,” the circular said.

The DoE has also directed the zonal and district authorities to remain in touch with the schools and provide support. “Areas like East, North East, North, South East and Central districts have been affected and all schools in these districts must be closed with immediate effect without waiting for any further orders,” the circular added.

In a later tweet, the Chief Minister urged all councillors and MLAs to visit relief camps and provide all possible support. "I appeal to all volunteers, councillors, MLAs and all other people to visit relief camps and provide all possible support," he said.

Earlier, on Thursday, the CM urged people in the national capital to look out for each other and extend all necessary assistance amid the floods caused by the rising waters of the Yamuna. “The water level of Yamuna is increasing continuously. Now the water has reached 208.46 metres. Due to the rising water level, the Yamuna has come on the roads around it. You are requested not to go on these routes. People are being evacuated from the populated areas where there is water. The people living there are requested to cooperate with the administration. Saving the lives of people is most important. There is an appeal to all the people of Delhi to cooperate with each other in every possible way in this emergency”, CM Kejriwal shared in a tweet.

Unprecedented Rise In Yamuna Waters

 

The national capital recorded a rapid increase in the Yamuna's water level over the past three days. The water level shot up from 203.14 metres at 11 am on Sunday to 205.4 metres at 5 pm on Monday, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 metres 18 hours earlier than expected.

The river exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres Monday night, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations, and the closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic.

The water level further breached the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres by 1 pm on Wednesday and the 208-metre mark by 10 pm.

Flood-Like Situation In Delhi

 

Several areas of the city are under water as the water level of river Yamuna continues to rise following heavy rainfall and the release of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in neighbouring Haryana. Due to the rise in the water level of Yamuna and the resultant inundation of low-lying areas, traffic movement has been impaired in several places.

The North-East district police have informed that more than 1000 people and around 999 cattle have been rescued from different areas near Yamuna amid the flood situation. The rescue was carried out in Usmanpur, Shastri Park, and Sonia Vihar police station areas.

Further, according to official inputs, the movement of commercial vehicles will be regulated as non-destined commercial vehicles won't be allowed to enter Delhi and will be diverted to the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.

Commercial vehicles will be diverted from Mukarba Chowk, Sarai Kale Khan, Ghazipur border, and from Akshardham towards DND.
The officials further said no commercial vehicles will be allowed between Mukarba Chowk and Wazirabad Bridge, Sarai Kale Khan and IP Flyover, and Akshardham and Sarai Kale Khan.