The first monsoon showers drenched Delhi on Thursday morning, providing respite from the oppressive heat.
However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is yet to declare the arrival of the monsoon in the capital.
"An official statement will be made after reviewing the rainfall data in the region," a senior IMD official said.
The MeT office had earlier said the monsoon would reach the capital on Thursday or Friday.
The southwest monsoon usually arrives in the national capital on June 27.
However, Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (climate change and meteorology), Skymet Weather, confirmed these are the first monsoon showers in the region.
Most parts of the capital reported a fresh spell of rain.
The IMD has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy rainfall in some areas in the city on Thursday and moderate rainfall on Friday. The maximum temperature will come down to 34-35 degrees Celsius.
Last year, the IMD had forecast that the monsoon would arrive in Delhi nearly two weeks before its usual date. However, it reached the capital only on July 13, making it the most delayed in 19 years.
Weather experts say a gap of three to five days is considered normal.
According to IMD data, the monsoon covered Delhi 29 times in June and 33 times in July in the last 62 years.
The IMD had in 2020 revised the date of monsoon arrival in Delhi from June 29 to June 27.
Weather experts have said the monsoon is expected to yield good rainfall in Delhi in the first 10 days and help cover the rain deficit.
From June 1, Delhi has received just 24.5 mm of rainfall against the normal of 74.1 mm till Thursday morning.
Traffic snarls, waterlogging
As Delhi received its first monsoon showers on Thursday morning, providing respite from the oppressive heat, woes began for commuters as they battled traffic snarls and waterlogging.
The Delhi Traffic Police, through a tweet, asked commuters to plan their journey accordingly.
“As per IMD report, ‘Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds’ would occur over and adjoining areas of entire Delhi. Commuters are advised to plan their journey accordingly," the traffic police tweeted.
Several parts of Delhi like ITO, Barapullah, Ring Road and the capital borders, specially Delhi-Noida border, Chilla Border, UP Gate, Delhi-Gurugram road experienced heavy traffic as rains lashed the national capital.
Waterlogging was reported near Pragati Maidan, Delhi-Meerut Expressway near Vinod Nagar, Pul Prahaladpur underpass, IP Estate in front of WHO building, under Zakhira flyover, Jahangirpuri Metro station, Loni Road roundabout and Azadpur market underpass.
Earlier this month, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said the Delhi government is ready to combat waterlogging on a war footing and it is focussing on solving the problem with micro planning.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has set up a Central Control Room from where 10 critical waterlogging sites in Delhi are being monitored 24×7 through CCTV cameras.
Waterlogging in Pragati Maidan tunnel belies PWD's claims
The newly inaugurated Pragati Maidan tunnel reported waterlogging during the first monsoon rains in the city on Thursday morning.
Traffic moved at a slow pace due to waterlogging in the tunnel, which connects India Gate with the Ring Road.
There was no immediate reaction available from the Public Works Department (PWD) regarding reason of the waterlogging inside the tunnel.
Earlier this week, the PWD officials have claimed that they have made elaborate arrangements in the tunnel to allay fears of waterlogging.
They had claimed automatic pumps along with seven underground sumps have been constructed in the tunnel for swift discharge of the water.
A new drainage network of wider pipes with high water discharge capacity has been laid in and around the tunnel to discourage waterlogging, they had stressed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on June 19 inaugurated the city's first 1.3-km long tunnel and five underpasses as part of Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project that aims to ease connectivity between central Delhi with eastern part of the city and satellite towns of Noida and Ghaziabad.
The tunnel starts near National Sports Complex of India (NSCI) on Purana Qila Road and passes underneath the redeveloped Pragati Maidan to culminate at the Ring Road near Pragati Power station.
(With PTI Inputs)
