The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of indulging in corruption in connection with desilting projects across Delhi, arguing that poor and inadequate maintenance of the city’s drainage system is the primary reason behind the widespread waterlogging and traffic disruptions that were witnessed after the heavy downpour. On Friday morning, after rain lashed large parts of the national capital, AAP leaders once again launched a scathing attack on the BJP-ruled Delhi government, holding them directly responsible for the chaos. The AAP, which had governed Delhi for ten consecutive years until 2025, alleged that the present administration under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had engaged in irregularities and corrupt practices during the desilting of drains, which led to the collapse of the drainage system during the monsoon.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, the head of AAP’s Delhi unit, posted a video on the social media platform X showing a man swimming through a heavily waterlogged street in Patparganj, East Delhi, following the rainfall. Using the incident to target the government, Bharadwaj sarcastically remarked that the BJP government had now stopped even pretending to make false assurances about solving the issue. He further pointed out that the authorities were simply waiting for the monsoon season to end so that the matter would fade away on its own, instead of taking effective measures. Bharadwaj warned that under the BJP’s governance, citizens fear that Delhi will regress and deteriorate in almost every field, as the government seems unwilling to act responsibly.
The AAP leader also directed sharp criticism at Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, raising doubts about the desilting process and the absence of proper auditing. He demanded clarity, questioning: “Has corruption taken place in desilting? Why is the government avoiding a third-party audit of the desilting work?” He further emphasized that if the drains had indeed been cleared, if the sludge was genuinely removed, and if the contractors were fairly paid for the work, then the administration should not shy away from an independent audit. According to him, only those who fear exposure resist accountability.
Joining in the attack, Leader of Opposition Atishi also shared video clips of flooded roads in Patparganj and Geeta Colony, asserting that in a mere span of six months, the so-called four-engine BJP government had pushed Delhi into an alarming situation where even a brief spell of rainfall was enough to turn the city’s roads into flowing rivers. In her post directed at Chief Minister Gupta, Atishi wrote, “Within just half a year, your government has submerged Delhi. Is this what you call ‘good governance’ or ‘proper management’?”
The Friday morning rainfall brought Delhi to a near standstill, creating long traffic snarls across many crucial stretches. Vehicles were stuck in extended queues on major roads such as the Badarpur–Ashram corridor, while severe congestion was also reported on other important routes, including the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) Flyway, Mathura Road, Vikas Marg, Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) area, Geeta Colony, and Rajaram Kohli Marg. The situation caused significant inconvenience to daily commuters, many of whom were stranded for hours.
A Delhi Traffic Police spokesperson acknowledged the disruption, explaining that traffic movement slowed down considerably due to water accumulation at several spots. He added that police teams were deployed on-site to manage the situation, guide vehicles, and ensure smoother movement wherever possible.
Meanwhile, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) highlighted the intensity of the showers. The Safdarjung weather station recorded 56.2 mm of rainfall between 8:30 am and 11:30 am, while Lodhi Road reported 34.8 mm, and Aya Nagar registered 11.8 mm during the same period. Apart from these, moderate showers were also recorded across several parts of central, southern, and southeastern Delhi, further worsening the drainage and traffic situation.
