Delhi waterlogging sparks AAP-BJP blame game; CM inspects city by bus

Published - July 29, 2026 01:04 am IST - New Delhi The Hindu Bureau

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed over waterlogging issues after heavy rain lashed the national capital on Tuesday, leaving several parts of the city submerged.

Sharing a video on X that showed schoolchildren being carried on their parents' shoulders through waist-deep water, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said:

"In Sadar Bazar, one of Delhi’s largest wholesale markets, schoolchildren are being forced to pass through waist-deep rainwater. Thank you, CM Rekha Gupta. After Gen Z, now Gen Alpha, too, will remain indebted to the BJP."

Responding, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra claimed that, barring 2025, the city had experienced waterlogging every monsoon for the past 27 years, even after light rain. He asserted that the BJP government "had almost freed the city from the waterlogging problem."

"Due to the relentless efforts of the Rekha Gupta government, improvement is visible in 75% of Delhi today. Delhiites should remain assured that after 2027, prolonged waterlogging during the monsoon will become a thing of the past," he said.

CM Reviews Issue

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, accompanied by senior officials, travelled by a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus to assess the ground situation following the rain and review key civic works.

• The Chief Minister began the inspection from her camp office in Civil Lines.
• She travelled by bus via the Outer Ring Road and Madhuban Chowk to the DDA Sports Complex in Sector 33, Rohini.
• During the journey, she reviewed the progress of waste disposal operations at landfill sites along the route.

According to a government official, Ms. Gupta also reviewed:

• Waterlogging-prone areas
• Cleanliness of major roads
• Condition of debris and garbage accumulated along roadsides

She instructed officials to "strengthen the drainage system during the monsoon and ensure that no area experiences waterlogging."

Rainfall Data

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD):

• Safdarjung weather station (the city’s representative observatory) recorded:
• 32.4 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday
• 57.6 mm of rainfall during the day until 5:30 p.m.

The IMD said generally cloudy skies and light to moderate rain are expected on Wednesday.