Open House: Do you think Amritsar MC has taken adequate steps to prevent flooding during monsoon or more needs to be done?

Spruce up drainage system before rains

The recent monsoon rains have again exposed the shortcomings of Amritsar’s drainage infrastructure. While the Municipal Corporation has undertaken desilting and cleaning drives at several locations, waterlogging in many areas indicates that these measures are not sufficient. Greater attention is needed for regular maintenance of the drainage system, scientific stormwater management, timely garbage removal and the identification of flood-prone spots. Real-time monitoring during heavy rainfall and better coordination among civic departments can significantly improve the situation. Public participation is equally important, as indiscriminate dumping of waste often chokes drains. Amritsar is not only a historic city but also a major pilgrimage destination and its civic infrastructure should reflect that status. The MC must move beyond temporary solutions and adopt long-term, sustainable measures to make the city more resilient during every monsoon season.

Sunil Kapoor

Restore traditional rainwater channels

A major concern during the rainy season is poor upkeep of old inner rainwater channels of the walled city, many of which have been sealed, encroached upon or disconnected over the years. These natural passages once helped drain rainwater quickly, but their closure has increased flooding in residential areas and market streets. Experts have long noted that Amritsar lacks an adequate, dedicated stormwater drainage network, with rainwater often flowing into the sewer system instead, leading to overflow and waterlogging. Reopening and restoring these traditional rain channels, along with regular maintenance, installing modern stormwater infrastructure and strict action against encroachments are essential to make Amritsar a flood-resilient city.

Dr Astha

Maintain paved to unpaved area ratio

For ages, water has carved its way through rain-fed areas by following its natural gravitational flow. However, town planners ignored geographical landscape and carved out residential areas and built roads and buildings thus hindering the natural flow of water. Surveys were conducted to fix a ratio between pucca (paved) and kutcha (unpaved) areas, but the same has not been followed in any city. The sewer pipes in a particular area are laid according to the number of houses. However, due to rapid urbanisation and overcrowding, the population has increased far beyond the system’s capacity to carry sewage. Barring Patiala, no other city in Punjab has an open rainwater drainage system. In Amritsar, there were three open rainwater drains, but these have been now covered. With these old and natural water channels ignored and the paved-to-unpaved area ratio disturbed, rainwater is bound to accumulate, leading to waterlogging.

PS Bhatty

Ensure regular desilting of drains

The city needs a long-term stormwater management plan rather than seasonal firefighting. Regular desilting of drains, strict action against encroachments blocking natural water flow, better maintenance of sewerage, rainwater harvesting and smart monitoring of flood-prone locations should become priorities. Flood management is a shared responsibility between the administration and the public. With better planning, infrastructure upgrade and community participation, Amritsar can become far more resilient to tackle heavy monsoon rains in the years ahead.

Jagdeep Singh

Civic body should set up dewatering pumps

The Municipal Corporation has taken several pre-monsoon measures, including desilting of drains, cleaning of sewer lines besides deployment of dewatering pumps at vulnerable locations. These efforts deserve appreciation. However, recent rains have exposed persistent waterlogging in several low-lying areas, indicating that existing measures are still inadequate. Reports suggest that the pace of sewer desilting has not matched the city’s requirements. Amritsar now needs a comprehensive stormwater drainage master plan, regular maintenance of the drainage network, protection of natural drains from encroachments and strict enforcement against waste dumping. Equally important is active public participation in keeping drains free of garbage. Building a flood-resilient city requires not only effective municipal action, but also sustained planning and community responsibility.

Dr Sanjeev Kumar Sharma

MC should play proactive role

Despite the tall claims of the Municipal Corporation regarding cleaning of water channels and sewer lines, the ground reality is totally different. The sorry state of affairs can be equally attributed to the MC’s poor planning and the lack of civic sense. We throw muck and dry leaves on the roadside that block water channels, resulting in blockage of stormwater channels. The corporation should be proactive to take remedial measures before torrential rains hit the city. The public should also help keep the rainwater drainage system clear to allow a smooth flow of water during heavy rains.

Brig Harcharan Singh (retd)

Take flood-protection measures on priority

On paper the MC has done everything so far to address flooding and waterlogging by setting up of 24×7 floods control rooms, emergency contact numbers, etc. The city has so far seen light to moderate rainfall and it didn’t cause much damage to houses. Also, the low-lying areas remained relatively free from waterlogging. Whether the steps taken to combat flooding are ‘adequate’, we will come to know in the next two-three weeks and after July 20 when monsoon peaks. Ravi embankment, Dhussi bandh breach points are the major works, which need to be completed in time to plug excess rainwater overflow into villages and towns situated along canals. Sewerage cleaning and desilting works by the MC have not been taken up on war-footing. Laying of new roundabouts, tiles, road carpeting using bitumen in the monsoon season have taken precedence over flood-protection measures. Old unsafe buildings needs to notified or demolished to prevent loss of life and property. Many busy roads, including Albert road, Madan Mohan Malviya road and Hukam Singh road, remain waterlogged. It is utmost necessary to monitor and implement the plans to address monsoon fury beforehand.

Anil Vinayak

MC needs to plan ahead of monsoon

Heavy rains in Amritsar are both a blessing and a burden. While the refreshing showers bring much-needed relief from the scorching summer heat, they also expose the city’s poor civic infrastructure. Roads and streets are quickly inundated, turning daily life into a struggle for lakhs of residents. The city’s ageing sewerage system often collapses under the pressure of heavy rainfall, causing overflowing drains and creating serious public health hazards. The Municipal Corporation appears to respond only after the crisis has already unfolded. Instead of preparing in advance, it relies on routine maintenance and ad hoc, quick-response measures to manage flooding and its aftermath. Amritsar urgently needs a comprehensive monsoon preparedness plan. Drains and sewers should be cleaned well before the onset of the rainy season, waterlogging hotspots should be identified and addressed, damaged roads repaired and emergency response teams equipped to act promptly. Regular inspection of drinking water pipelines, efficient pumping arrangements and public health measures to control mosquito breeding must form an integral part of this strategy. With foresight, efficient civic administration and timely action, Amritsar can transform the monsoon from a season of hardship into one of genuine relief and renewal.

Dr Akashdeep Singh

Multipronged strategy needed

Flood mitigation measures require a multipronged strategy. This is what I concluded while looking back at the devastation caused by floods in Amritsar last year. The district was among the worst-affected areas, suffering significant losses.

While responding to such calamities, the challenges that the authorities face include early warning, infrastructure vulnerabilities, evacuation and shelter management, logistics, and coordination.

Since the primary duty of any state when a calamity hits is to protect its citizens, the first step should be putting state agencies like the SDMA, DDMA, Health Department, fire services, Home Guards, and NGO volunteers into action. The availability of inflatable boats, satellite communication system, scuba gear, life jackets, raincoats, gumboots, and first-aid kits with life-saving medicines should be prioritised. The measures should include surveillance of high-risk zones, positioning of rescue teams and setting up of relief camps.

These steps need to be take before the peak monsoon season, with coordination between the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the police, and the Army. Mock drills too are the need of the hour. Helplines dedicated the protection of livestock should be in place. The administration and society should join hands to effectively mitigate the flood risk.

ABHYAM SHARMA

need Robust disaster response mechanism

The 2025 flood disaster were among the worst calamities. In order to avoid destruction on such a scale, a more robust disaster response mechanism is the need of the hour. In regions like Amritsar, the collapse of dhussi bandh and the overflowing Ravi destroyed kharif, killed and displaced hundreds of villagers and their livestock.

Rescue efforts failed to ensure adequate food, shelter and or medicines. The government’s response has often been criticised, with its promises of providing financial assistance remaining largely unfulfilled adding to the victims’ woes.

Reports suggest that in the absence of a centralised national flood control policy, the burden to take mitigation measures falls on state governments, which in a way weakens their functioning.

By taking cue from the United States, which categorises floods as fluvial (river), pluvial (rainfall), and coastal, and manages them through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the authorities could mitigate calamities with ease. A comprehensive long-term policy, guided by disaster management experts to build systemic resilience, is the only way out.

Dr MADHURI SHARMA

Proper drainage can prevent waterlogging

Each year, Amritsar witnesses waterlogging. In the absence of a proper drainage system, roads are filled with water, bringing the district to a halt.

To prevent waterlogging, the Municipal Corporation should make proper arrangements and ensure that roads and streets are not submerged. At times, water enter houses, leaving residents fuming. Snapped electricity cables pose a danger to commuters. It seems that the authorities are waiting for a tragedy to happen. The residents’ pleas fall on deaf ears. All this can be avoided if drains, especially in low-lying area, are regularly cleaned and potholes repaired. Apart from this, round-the-clock control rooms in civic body district offices need to be set up. Also, quick response teams can send out rainfall alerts, seeking public cooperation. The civic body should deploy emergency teams and ensure timely action to avoid Amritsar from submerging during monsoon.

Sucha Singh Sagar

Poor planning adds to people’s woes

Despite carrying the “Smart City” tag, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) remains highly unprepared for the rainy season. Each time it rains, the city is crippled, exposing the civic authorities’ casual approach. While temporary fixes like super-suction machines are deployed, key hubs, including Hall Gate and Heritage Street, are seen submerged during rains. This chronic flooding stems from deep structural flaws. Amritsar relies on an outdated, overburdened sewerage network that mixes sewage with stormwater, rather than a dedicated drainage system. The city’s 28 disposal plants fail during storms due to power cuts or overwhelming volumes of water. Poorly planned structures compound the problem.

To permanently resolve this urban engineering problem, the MC should execute decisive reforms. It should first construct a dedicated, high-capacity stormwater network to relieve the choked sewerage system. The civic body should then install automated generator backup at all disposal plants to prevent shutdowns. Desilting should begin before the monsoon arrival. It can go for the “Sponge City” concept, integrating greenbelts and using porous material instead of concrete tiles to restore natural water absorption. Amritsar can no longer dismiss this seasonal paralysis as an unavoidable natural disaster. It requires a systemic overhaul.

Ronak Bhargav

Flood sensors should be in place

To prevent rain losses in Amritsar, the authorities should get into action by taking measures before the monsoon arrival.

The chances of flooding are high in the district. Therefore, sensors and alarms should be put in place before the situation gets out of hand. The authorities should be prepared to evacuate residents in case of a calamity. Trained staff or volunteers can handle the situation efficiently.

Madhu Sharma