The Delhi government on Sunday said that all schools in the areas bordering the river Yamuna will remain closed till July 18 (Tuesday). The rise in water level of river Yamuna flooded parts of Delhi in the past few days, affecting normal lives. The Delhi government is running relief camps in schools bordering the river.
"In view of flood relief camps likely to continue to run in schools in the areas bordering the river Yamuna, all govt, govt Aided, and private recognised schools in the affected Districts of DoE - East, North East, North West-A, North, Central & South East-will remain closed for students on 17th & 18th July," the government said.
The water level in Yamuna swelled to a record level earlier tis week after Haryana released water from the Hathnikund barrage. On Friday, the raging river showed signs of calming but the breach of an embankment of a drain regulator led to waterlogging in some parts of Delhi such as the ITO, with floodwater reaching close to the Supreme Court complex, causing hardship for the people.
Water also entered the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat due to backflow from a drain in the area. Three boys drowned while bathing in the floodwaters in northwest Delhi's Mukundpur Chowk area. These were the first deaths reported in the city since the Yamuna water crossed the danger mark on Monday.
After breaching the 45-year-old record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 207.98 metres at 11 pm on Friday. As the Yamuna water level reduced, the Okhla water treatment plant, which was shut on Thursday, was opened. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants will resume functioning if the Yamuna level goes down to 207.7 metres on Saturday.
In a midnight update, the Lt Governor's Office said that the Army had sealed the breached embankment at the Indraprastha regulator to prevent floodwater from entering Delhi. Due to the breach, water had started to flowing into the city through a drain, inundating the Ring Road, Indraprastha Metro Station, IP Depot, ITO and Vikas Marg, reaching the entrance of the Supreme Court in central Delhi.
Vikas Marg, one of the important stretches connecting east and Central Delhi, was closed for traffic as vehicular movement went haywire and commuters got stuck for hours in traffic jams.
(With inputs from PTI)