Yamuna in Delhi swells further, Old Railway Bridge shut for train traffic

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NEW DELHI: The Yamuna in Delhi flowed more than a metre above the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Monday morning, with authorities suspending the movement of trains on the Old Railway Bridge (ORB).

The water level of the river at the ORB has been hovering around the danger mark, after reaching an all-time high of 208.66 metres on July 13.

It breached the danger mark again on Sunday following a surge in the discharge from the Hathnikund barrage into the river after heavy rain in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

A railway official said the movement of trains on the ORB has been suspended due to the increase in the water level of the Yamuna.

“The route between Delhi and Shahdara will remain suspended and trains will be diverted via New Delhi,” the official said.

The increase in the river’s water level is expected to impact the ongoing relief-and-rehabilitation work in the flood-affected low-lying areas of the capital, officials said.

According to the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) data, the water level rose from 205.02 metres at 10 pm on Saturday to 206.57 metres at 3 am on Monday, before it started dropping again.

The water level reached 206.54 metres at 8 am and is expected to dip to 206.42 metres by 2 pm.