Delhi-Gurugram Expressway Traffic Crawls After Heavy Rain Causes Severe Waterlogging, 10-Km Jam

New Delhi: Heavy rain brought traffic on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway to a crawl on Friday evening after severe waterlogging near Shiv Murti in Delhi triggered a massive traffic jam stretching nearly 10 km.

Hundreds of commuters were left stranded for hours as vehicles moved slowly along the busy expressway connecting Delhi and Gurugram. Traffic police said the congestion began near Shiv Murti in Mahipalpur and extended towards Udyog Vihar Phase-IV in Gurugram by around 6.30 pm.

The disruption came as heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Delhi-NCR, causing widespread waterlogging and traffic snarls. The India Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for Delhi amid forecasts of intense rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.

10-km traffic jam leaves commuters stranded

The waterlogging near Shiv Murti became a major bottleneck on the expressway. According to traffic police, the affected stretch resulted in a long queue of vehicles extending towards Gurugram.

Commuters reported spending several hours trapped in traffic.

One commuter travelling from Gurugram towards Kathmandu said traffic had already slowed near IFFCO Chowk around 4 pm. By 6.30 pm, the vehicle had still not crossed the Sirhaul toll plaza, despite the distance being only a few kilometres.

Another commuter travelling towards Delhi said he had been stuck in his vehicle for around three hours, with little scope to turn around because of the congestion.

Traffic diverted to MG Road

Traffic authorities moved quickly to divert vehicles to ease the pressure on the expressway.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic Headquarters) Satyapal Yadav said traffic heading towards Delhi was being diverted via MG Road from the elevated section near IFFCO Chowk towards Aya Nagar.

The situation was particularly challenging because rain continued to affect several parts of the Delhi-NCR region, limiting the effectiveness of diversions and slowing traffic on alternative roads as well.

Delhi-NCR hit by widespread waterlogging

The expressway congestion was part of a broader disruption across the National Capital Region.

Several areas of Delhi experienced severe waterlogging following the downpour, while traffic movement was affected at major locations. Connaught Place, Mahipalpur, roads around the airport and other parts of the capital reported water accumulation and slow-moving traffic.

Flight operations were also affected, with at least nine flights diverted between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm amid the adverse weather conditions.

Gurugram's recurring monsoon traffic problem

Friday's disruption adds to a series of rain-related traffic problems on the Delhi-Gurugram corridor this monsoon.

Earlier this week, heavy showers caused extensive waterlogging across Gurugram, affecting key stretches including Udyog Vihar, Shankar Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Sohna Road and MG Road. Traffic congestion also spilled onto the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway.

The repeated disruptions have renewed concerns over Gurugram's drainage infrastructure. Union Minister and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh recently attributed recurring flooding in the city partly to blocked natural drainage channels and construction over traditional water-flow routes.

Commuters advised to plan journeys carefully

With the weather department warning of further rain in the region, commuters using the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway and surrounding roads have been advised to allow additional travel time and check traffic conditions before starting their journeys.

For those travelling between Delhi and Gurugram, authorities are using diversions to manage congestion, but the scale of waterlogging means delays could continue until water levels recede and traffic flow normalises.

Friday's 10-km jam once again highlighted the vulnerability of one of the NCR's busiest road corridors to intense rainfall and inadequate drainage, leaving thousands of commuters to bear the brunt of the disruption.