Delhi’s urban flooding is no longer an anomaly—it’s now part of the city’s landscape. The root causes are manifold and systemic. Rampant, ill-planned urban expansion, particularly on floodplains and sensitive areas, has disrupted drainage patterns and eliminated natural water absorption zones. Emergency rainfall episodes quickly overwhelm the city, revealing deep infrastructural vulnerabilities.

The ageing stormwater network - designed decades ago - is overwhelmed by modern Delhi’s sprawling built-up area. Covered drains remain clogged with waste, and desilting efforts remain insufficient, compounding waterlogging during rains . Encroachments on Yamuna floodplains further choke the river’s flow, diminishing flood management capacity while increasing pollution and ecological stress .

Moreover, monsoon patterns are growing more erratic and intense due to climate change, delivering unprecedented downpours that indoor systems can't handle. With these pressures converging, Delhi’s flooding is no longer a sporadic crisis - it’s a reflection of deep-rooted infrastructure failure and urban mismanagement demanding immediate, confident planning and intervention.