Delhi witnessed intense monsoon rainfall on Thursday which resulted in large-scale waterlogging, fallen trees, and severe traffic disruptions in several parts of the city. The heavy downpour, which arrived just a day before Independence Day celebrations, soon precipitated into a political face-off between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Both sides engaged in sharp exchanges, accusing each other of mismanagement and negligence while citizens battled severe flooding on roads, potholes submerged in water and trees collapsing in residential colonies and major corridors.

The gravity of the situation came to light when a tragic incident occurred in Kalkaji, where a large tree fell on a motorbike during the rain. The unfortunate event led to the death of a man and left his daughter injured. The disturbing visuals of the accident quickly circulated on social media and prompted citizens to question the preparedness of civic authorities. Within hours, multiple videos emerged showing neighbourhoods under knee-deep water, collapsed trees blocking roads, and stranded commuters struggling to reach schools, workplaces, and hospitals.

The AAP leadership quickly seized on the incident and blamed the BJP administration for overseeing what it described as “complete administrative failure”. Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, reacting to the Kalkaji tragedy, posted a video and criticised the BJP-led government saying, “In just a few months, what a mess the BJP folks have made of Delhi… people are dying, streets have turned into ponds, and everything has fallen apart.” Kejriwal stated that the BJP has failed to even provide basic safety to the residents of the capital and accused it of focusing more on political vendetta than governance.

Atishi, presently the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, also issued a strong statement and wrote a letter to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. She demanded the immediate dismissal of Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, claiming that his incompetence and lack of monsoon preparedness had resulted in loss of lives. She mentioned that the repeated incidents of falling trees, flooded underpasses, and clogged drains were not simply acts of nature, but predictable outcomes of poor infrastructure planning and absence of proactive policy implementation.
Atishi’s letter outlined that residents had been forced to walk through waterlogged lanes in Chhatarpur, Patparganj, Subroto Park and Lutyens’ Delhi despite repeated warnings of heavy rain from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). She stated, “Nothing short of strict action against the responsible officials will restore public faith. The people of Delhi are looking towards you to ensure accountability.”

She also posted multiple clips from across the city, writing on social media, “This is the condition of Chhatarpur. In just a short spell of rain, Delhi’s roads turn into ponds. Is this the ‘Proper Management’ of Delhi’s Chief Minister @gupta_rekha and PWD Minister @p_sahibsingh?”

The BJP, on the other hand, sharply rejected AAP’s allegations and accused the party of diverting attention from its own past failures. BJP leader Kapil Mishra fired a scathing attack on AAP and Kejriwal, stating, “For 12 years, you looted and ruined Delhi, then fled to Punjab, and today you’re blaming the BJP for a tree falling. Delhi will surely change, but this audacity to dance around with your own failure report card is only possible in AAP.” He alleged that AAP wasted years indulging in publicity campaigns instead of taking real measures to upgrade drainage systems and storm water management.
According to the BJP’s statement, the monsoon preparedness plans had been neglected for over a decade during the AAP administration and the current challenges were rooted in the legacy of underfunded drainage networks, unscientific road works, and compromised civic standards during its past tenure. The BJP also pointed out that the current government has inherited a severely degraded infrastructure and is working on long-term sustainable solutions that will take time to show visible results.

The India Meteorological Department had initially issued a yellow alert for Delhi for Thursday, but as the rain began intensifying, the alert was later upgraded to red, indicating potential for severe impacts on daily life. As water levels rose across several underpasses, notably in RK Puram, Subhash Nagar, Patparganj, and Lutyens’ Delhi, vehicular movement crawled to a standstill. In South Delhi, Laxmi Nagar, Kalkaji, and Greater Kailash reported repeated instances of tree collapse, worsening the traffic chaos during rush hours.

Residents in parts of East Delhi complained of flooded basements, electrical hazards due to submerged power lines, and overflowing drains. Various welfare associations reported that despite repeated pre-monsoon submissions to the PWD and local authorities, preventive desilting and tree trimming were either delayed or not carried out at all. According to residents, blockages in drainage points turned minor showers into serious risks, leaving people wading through water even after short spells of rain.

The political blame game intensified further as videos of submerged arterial roads — especially in Chhatarpur, Patparganj, Subroto Park and India Gate circle — widely circulated on social media platforms. Several commuters pointed out that the road leading to important government offices near Lutyens’ Zone was flooded within 30 minutes, exposing the vulnerability of even the most central areas of the national capital which are expected to have the best infrastructure and round-the-clock monitoring.

In response to these criticisms, the BJP reiterated that its administration has already commenced extensive monsoon reviews, field visits, and emergency response protocols. According to BJP spokespersons, teams of engineers and disaster response personnel have been placed across the city to immediately clear drains, remove fallen trees, and coordinate with traffic police to restore mobility. The BJP also stated that an audit of vulnerable trees has already been conducted, and re-plantation drives, wherever necessary, are being planned in consultation with the horticulture department.

Meanwhile, social organisations and local volunteers stepped up during the crisis, helping commuters stuck in waterlogged areas, clearing smaller branches, and escorting school children who were left stranded in flooded streets. Several RWAs (Residents’ Welfare Associations) have also appealed for urgent coordination between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, PWD, and Delhi Police to prevent further casualties as more rainfall has been predicted in the coming days.

While the political sparring continues, residents of the capital remain primarily concerned about immediate relief and long-term solutions. Citizens have called for greater inter-agency coordination, timely monsoon preparedness plans, and robust infrastructure upgrades to avoid repeat of such incidents in the future. The tragic demise of a father in Kalkaji has underscored the urgent need for serious policy-level action and compassionate governance.

The broader issue raised by the incident — that of urban vulnerability, collapsing infrastructure, and the intersection of climate change and safety — remains an important matter of public debate. Unless the city adopts a stringent monsoon preparedness regime with coordinated responsibility across departments, residents fear that each heavy spell of rain will bring yet another round of flooding, toppled trees, tragic deaths, and political finger-pointing.

The debate between BJP and AAP over responsibility, governance, and failure has now opened up a larger conversation about civic accountability, the need for modern infrastructure, and the importance of citizen-centric planning in a rapidly urbanizing national capital. The coming weeks — with more rainfall forecast — will indicate whether the political promises translate into visible improvements on the ground or whether Delhi’s citizens must once again brace themselves for more waterlogged roads, collapsing trees and administrative blame games while navigating their everyday lives through the monsoon season.

The Upcoming IPOs in this week and coming weeks are Mangal Electrical Industries, LGT Business Connextions, Vikram Solar, Gem Aromatics, Studio LSD, Shreeji Shipping Global, Patel Retail.

The Current active IPO are Regaal Resources, Mahendra Realtors and Infrastructure.

Start your Stock Market Journey and Apply in IPO by Opening Free Demat Account in Choice Broking FinX.

Join our Trading with CA Abhay Telegram Channel for regular Stock Market Trading and Investment Calls by CA Abhay Varn - SEBI Registered Research Analyst.