No one was injured in the incident,' the official said, adding that the damage was not significant.

Traffic policemen were seen struggling with traffic as several cars and buses broke down, leading to chaotic, serpentine traffic pile ups.

'The 17-km long stretch on the Gurgaon Expressway was chock a bloc. The cars weren't moving. I am stuck for over half hour. This is the worst jam I have seen here,' said Meenal Shaw, a media professional.

Like her, others returning home from office were stranded on flooded roads for hours.

'The most affected areas are Vikas Marg, Kalyanpuri, Trilokpuri, Noida Mode, Mayur Vihar, India Gate, ITO, Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi area, Kashmiri Gate, Lodhi Road, Karol Bagh, Punjabi Bagh, Vikas Puri, Rajghat, Nizamuddin, and Pitampura,' said a senior traffic police official.

At Raisana Road, the road caved in leaving behind a 10 metres deep, 6 metre wide crater and snail paced traffic.

'I was stuck for two hours at Moolchand flyover. I don't understand why every time it rains our civic system gives in. Why aren't the authorities doing something to tackle this problem?' said Shivam Singh, a software engineer.

Due to heavy rains, traffic signals at several intersections stopped working.

Even in the better organised Luyten's Delhi, there was no respite. Diplomats were stuck near their embassy offices, and even Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan was stranded at the party headquarters where the water had seeped in.

According to Met Department, Delhi has received 277.6 mm of rains till 8.30 a.m. Friday so far this season against a normal of 454.1 mm. In August, the city received 97.4 mm of rains.