Rain exposes MC’s poor preparedness

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 28

Thursday’s rain exposed poor preparedness by the Municipal Corporation as massive water-logging was witnessed across the city. The rain started around 3 am and continued in intervals till 1:30 pm in parts of the city. Many vehicles reportedly broke down on waterlogged roads. Sewers overflowed at Moti Nagar, Dhandari Khurd and several other areas.

Water-logging was also witnessed in Ward No. 78 areas from where Mayor Balkar Singh has been elected a councillor. Earlier, super suction machines were pressed into service to clear silt from the main sewer line on Panj Peer Road in the same ward, still rainwater accumulated on the road today.

Residents also complained that the choked road gullies and sewer lines in many other areas were not cleared which led to water-logging. A shopkeeper, Arun Kumar, said: “Whenever it rains heavily, water-logging is witnessed near Clock Tower. The authorities concerned have failed to address our problem. Rainwater generally flows into our shops.”

Another shopkeeper near Clock Tower, Garish Sachdeva said: “Water-logging has become a major problem at Guru Teg Bahadur Market since the elevated road was constructed. Rainwater got accumulated outside our shops today. The situation has become worst but nobody cares. The MC should find out a permanent solution to this problem.”

Meanwhile, MC workers were seen removing water on Old GT Road after the rain. Sukhwinder Singh of Guru Ravidas Youth Sports and Welfare Club, Dhandari Khurd, said: “It was difficult to step out of our houses due to major water-logging in our streets. The sewerage commonly remains choked in the area. We are helpless as no preventive measures were taken by the civic body to avoid water accumulation here in the rainy season. Our area is one of the sensitive areas where chances of disease outbreak remain high.”

Only around 10-11% areas in the city have storm water drainage system. The storm water drainage system along Ferozepur Road, National Highway 1 and Southern Bypass Road were also choked.

Affected areas

Rainwater accumulated on National Highway 1, Ferozepur Road, near Clock Tower, Old GT Road, Chandigarh Road, Tajpur Road, Moti Nagar, Dhandari Khurd, Samrala Chowk, Transport Nagar, near Chand Cinema, Ghumar Mandi Road, Model Town, Gill Road, Link Road and old city areas.

Officialspeak

MC Superintending Engineer Rajinder Singh said: “The staff concerned have been deployed to ensure the removal of water from city roads. Accumulated water was removed from a majority of parts after the rain stopped.” Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu could not be contacted for comment.

Make rainwater recharge wells, says expert

Kapil Arora of the Council of Engineers said the Municipal Corporation had failed to make rainwater recharge wells in the city. In the absence of recharge wells, roads get waterlogged during rain. Besides, millions of gallons of rainwater flows into manholes, resulting in overflowing of sewers.