Torrential evening showers brought parts of Delhi and NCR to a grinding halt on Wednesday, turning roads into rivers and leaving residents fuming — and swimming.
The monsoon finally hit hard — and how. Between 5:30 and 8:30 pm on July 9, Gurugram and other areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) were pounded by heavy rainfall. Water gushed into homes, traffic crawled to a standstill, and social media lit up with equal parts sarcasm and frustration. Residents joked about “multi-crore houses with basement pools” — but no one was really laughing.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) first issued an orange alert for the region in the afternoon. By the time the downpour had fully settled in, that had escalated to a red alert. It was already too late for the evening rush.
Streets Swamped, Commutes Ruined
If you were out between 5 and 9 pm in Delhi-NCR, chances are you got stuck — or soaked.
Parts of Gurugram looked like they had been hit by a flash flood. Vehicles were half-submerged, two-wheelers toppled over, and pedestrians were left with no choice but to wade through knee-deep water. People stranded in cabs and autos watched helplessly as the water kept rising.
Even Delhi wasn’t spared. Areas like Kailash Colony, Siri Fort Road, ITO, and Outer Ring Road saw severe waterlogging. At many intersections, traffic lights blinked out as clogged roads created mile-long snarls.
One paragraph. One sentence. Because honestly, that’s all it takes to describe the mess: it was a disaster.
Weather Stations Paint a Lopsided Picture
Oddly enough, while parts of Delhi were completely inundated, some areas barely felt the rain.
Take this snapshot from IMD’s automatic weather stations across Delhi between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm:
| Location | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|
| Najafgarh | 60 |
| Aya Nagar | 50.5 |
| Pragati Maidan | 37 |
| Pusa | 30 |
| North Campus | 22 |
| Palam | 14.4 |
| IGNOU | 11.5 |
| Naraina | 6.5 |
| Janakpuri | 4 |
| Lodhi Road | 1.5 |
| Safdarjung (main) | 1.4 |
It’s almost comical how uneven the impact was. While Najafgarh took the brunt, central areas like Lodhi Road barely registered anything.
Meanwhile, the irony didn’t go unnoticed online. “IMD’s idea of rain is like my salary — it looks good on paper but never reaches my area,” quipped one X (formerly Twitter) user.
Gurugram’s Pricey Real Estate, Priceless Memes
The flooding reignited old conversations about Gurugram’s infrastructure — or lack thereof. One viral tweet summed it up: “Welcome to Gurugram: where a ₹10 crore villa comes with an annual monsoon lake.”
People posted photos of luxury cars partially submerged outside bungalows in DLF Phase-1 and Golf Course Road. Another user called it “Venice of India,” tagging Gurugram civic authorities and the IMD in a rage-filled reel.
Here’s what netizens grumbled about:
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“Multi-crore homes and no drainage — should’ve invested in a raft instead.”
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“Basement parking or indoor swimming pool? Gurugram leaves that to your interpretation.”
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“Where’s Elon Musk? Time to launch some water taxis.”
It wasn’t just jokes, though. Many posted real-time videos showing how water entered homes, damaging furniture and electronics, leaving families scrambling to save what they could.
Authorities Scramble, But It’s The Same Old Song
Gurugram authorities were quick to tweet that they had deployed pumps and emergency teams.
But for residents, the response felt too little, too late.
One woman from Sector 56 said, “I called the helpline twice. They asked me to ‘stay indoors’ while water was flooding into my drawing room. What were they expecting me to do — grow gills?”
Another man stuck near MG Road Metro station said he waited two hours for his cab, only to cancel it and walk 3 kilometers through sludge and puddles. “My shoes are done. My spirit too,” he added, half-jokingly.
The Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) had, as recently as June, claimed that it had upgraded 56 critical drainage points. After Wednesday, nobody’s buying that.
What’s the IMD Saying Next?
As of early Thursday, the red alert remains in place.
According to the IMD, more moderate to intense rainfall is expected across NCR. Lightning and thunderstorms are also likely, which could worsen the already chaotic situation in low-lying areas.
A senior IMD official said: “This was a localized burst but part of a broader pattern of monsoon movement. Citizens should remain alert for the next 48 hours.” A good tip — if you’ve got sandbags handy.
And while the Yamuna hasn’t breached danger levels yet, officials are monitoring its rise closely. With Prayagraj and eastern Uttar Pradesh receiving heavy rainfall too, more water could make its way downstream.
Delays, Power Cuts, And Frayed Tempers
Metro services were delayed on the Yellow Line. Several autos refused rides entirely. And parts of Faridabad and Ghaziabad reported brief power cuts during the storm.
Meanwhile, cab fares on aggregator apps like Uber and Ola surged by up to 3.5x. A ₹150 ride from Saket to Nehru Place was suddenly costing ₹530. Commuters called it “daylight robbery during a deluge.”
One short paragraph to say it straight — the city just wasn’t ready.
