Old Yamuna Bridge closed for traffic as river rises
The Old Yamuna Bridge, connecting east Delhi with the heart of the national capital, was on Wednesday shut for rail and road traffic after the water level in the river rose dangerously.
"The Old Yamuna Iron Bridge has been closed as water level went above the danger mark at around noon," a senior police official said. The road and rail movement was closed following the rise in water level as well as waterlogging.
Railways stopped train services on the Old Yamuna Bridge and are diverting all the trains bound for Old Delhi Railway Station and towards the eastern part of the country through other routes, a railway official said.
The closure of the bridge resulted in the diversion of traffic onto a highway linking Delhi with Uttar Pradesh, which resulted in further choking of roads. Around 200 people were on Wednesday evacuated from the banks of Yamuna in the capital as the water level in the river touched 205.70 metres.
With this, a total of 1,500 people have been shifted to around 160 relief camps set up by the city government to provide shelter to people living along the banks of the river.
The river had crossed the danger level of 204.83 metres on Friday evening following rains and since then it has been flowing above it.
Mobile medical teams and water tanks have also been pressed into service to help the affected people. Over 50 boats, 68 divers and a unit of Disaster Management force have been deployed to meet any eventuality.
The camps were set up in areas such as Usmanpur, Madanpur Khadar and ISBT bridge, officials said. The water level in Yamuna has also risen due to release of over four lakh cusec water by Haryana into the river in the last two days.
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