Yamuna river crosses 207 m mark in Delhi; 22 east-bound trains cancelled
New Delhi: The Yamuna rose over two metres above the danger level and crossed the 207 m mark in Delhi for the first time since
1978 on Thursday. Authorities said the water level is expected to go up further, but
insisted that all arrangements have been made to deal with the
situation. The water level went up after Haryana released 7.5 lakh cusec of water
into it on Monday, the highest discharge in last 100 years. "The volume of water
that has been released this time has been massive," said an official. "Hathnikund
started releasing over one lakh cusecs water on Saturday evening and by Monday,
it had been releasing almost 7.5 lakh cusecs water. Since this water is still
coming in, we have to see what level the river will rise to. Once it attains its
peak, the river will remain at that level for most of Thursday and then start
falling gradually. But there is just too much water coming into it right now so
it's for sure not coming down very soon,'' he added. Meanwhile, the Railways have
cancelled 22 trains in view of the closure of the Old Yamuna bridge and announced
diversion of 65 other trains. The National Highway connecting Delhi with Lucknow
and Bareilly-Badaun road remained closed. Earlier, Chairman of the MCD Standing
Committee Yogender Chandolia has said that all concerned departments, particularly
health and sanitation, have been directed to remain on alert. He said that the
areas of Usmanpur, Model Town, Garhi Mandu, Kashmere Gate, ISBT, Yamuna
Pusta, parts of Mayur Vihar, Okhla and Jamia Nagar may be affected. The Health
Department has been directed to depute mobile dispensaries with doctors and
adequate stock of medicines. The Sanitation Department has been directed to keep
clean likely areas to be affected.
