Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Harsh Malhotra on 6 August credited the Delhi Jal Board, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Delhi Traffic Police for keeping waterlogging minimal and traffic near-normal during heavy rains since Wednesday. Malhotra said the contrast with the previous decade was stark, and pledged that Delhi would become a 'model city' by the 2028 monsoon.

What Malhotra Said About the Rains

Malhotra argued that between 2015 and 2024, even central parts of the capital — including New Delhi — routinely turned into flooded arteries during monsoon showers, with severe traffic snarls lasting the entire day. 'Waterlogging remained limited to a few stretches of major roads and was cleared soon after the rain stopped, allowing the city to function in an orderly manner,' he said.

He pointed specifically to Sadar Bazar in Old Delhi, which had reported significant waterlogging during heavy rainfall in mid-July. Malhotra said the situation there had improved markedly owing to the continuous deployment of Delhi Jal Board and MCD sanitation staff, as well as the installation of pumping systems.

Government's Commitment and Timeline

Speaking under what he described as the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Malhotra set out an ambitious two-phase target. 'We assure the people of Delhi that by the 2027 monsoon, waterlogging will become a thing of the past, and by the 2028 monsoon, Delhi will emerge as a model city,' he said. The pledge is a direct political benchmark — one the BJP administration will be measured against ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Tribute to Sushma Swaraj on Death Anniversary

Earlier on the same day, Malhotra led a tribute event for former Union Minister and Delhi Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj on her death anniversary, addressing BJP workers and residents who had gathered despite the rain. 'Today we have gathered to pay tribute to the voice of India, a symbol of women's empowerment, and an inspiration to all of us, respected Smt. Sushma Swaraj, on her death anniversary,' he said.

Malhotra described Swaraj as 'the ideal of Indian politics, embodying the rare combination of compassion with firmness, and power with service.' He credited her tenure as External Affairs Minister with giving 'a new meaning to people-centric diplomacy,' adding that every Indian stranded abroad 'felt that there was someone in Delhi who truly cared — that person was Sushma Swaraj.'

What Comes Next

With the monsoon season still underway, the BJP's claims will face real-time scrutiny over the coming weeks. Independent assessments of waterlogging incidents across the capital's low-lying areas — particularly in east and north Delhi — will determine whether Wednesday's relatively smooth performance reflects a systemic improvement or a single favourable rain event. The 2027 and 2028 timelines Malhotra has set now serve as a public accountability marker for the Gupta administration.