Viral Video: Delhi Man Swims Through Waterlogged Street, Sparks Outrage Over City’s Drainage Woes

Viral Video: A man swimming through a heavily waterlogged street in Delhi has taken the internet by storm, drawing sharp reactions from citizens and netizens alike. The man, fully clothed, glides past stranded vehicles and baffled pedestrians, offering a striking visual of the city’s poor drainage system.

The video, now widely shared across platforms, appears to mock a recent claim by a local MLA that “there’s no waterlogging” in Delhi. Without uttering a word, the swimmer’s actions speak volumes—turning an everyday monsoon scene into a powerful moment of protest and satire against civic apathy.

Viral Video Highlights Delhi’s Ongoing Drainage Woes

Former Chief Minister and AAP MLA Atishi sharply criticised the BJP‑led Delhi government after Thursday’s heavy rain paralysed key city areas. India Today published an article on July 23, 2025, about a Delhi resident who was filmed paddling through waist‑deep water to sarcastically showcase poor drainage on local streets in a video.

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Visuals circulated by AAP leaders showed a man doing a backstroke in West Vinod Nagar, while another floated in an inflatable bathtub on NH 24 in Patparganj. “Our MLA says there’s no waterlogging, so I’ll swim and prove them wrong,” he quipped. Ex‑deputy CM Manish Sisodia and ex‑minister Saurabh Bhardwaj quickly shared the footage. Atishi then targeted her successor, Rekha Gupta, over neglected monsoon preparedness.

Heavy Rainfall Exposes Gaps in Civic Infrastructure

Heavy downpours this week left streets, schoolyards, and market lanes submerged across East and Northeast Delhi. At Kendriya Vidyalaya Patparganj, students waded into chest‑high water to reach classrooms. In Dilshad Garden, vegetable vendors struggled to sell goods while standing in ankle‑deep puddles. 

Residents in Preet Vihar reported sewage mixing with rainwater, creating health hazards. These incidents show that outdated drains and choked gutters still fail to handle seasonal rains. Despite repeated alerts from the Met Department, city officials have offered no lasting fix for overflowing stormwater drains.

Authorities’ Claims Contradicted by Ground Reality on Streets

Delhi’s drainage and irrigation department insists it upgraded over 200 drains this year, but citizens see little effect. On Ashram Road, cars stalled as water filled engine bays. In Shahdara, two buses floated past stranded commuters. Municipal workers cleared silt from a single stretch in Anand Vihar, leaving adjacent lanes clogged.

Traffic police diverted vehicles through submerged by planes, worsening congestion. Meanwhile, public messages touted monsoon readiness, yet escalating videos of flooded arteries keep surfacing. The mismatch deepens distrust between officials’ statements and Delhi’s everyday realities.

Drainage failures during monsoon seasons persist despite official assurances. This viral video underlines the urgent need for durable infrastructure upgrades.

Note: This article is based on information provided in this viral video/post. DNP India doesn’t endorse, subscribe to, or verify these claims.