Rain lashes Amritsar, leaves many areas inundated

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, July 17

Heavy rainfall lashed the holy city, flooding the Punjab Roadways workshop and some low-lying areas on Friday. The rain that lasted around one hour exposed the poor drainage system in the city. Besides, it led to water-logging on the GT road, BRTS track and some areas of the walled city. Though the Municipal Corporation got most of the main sewer lines desilted in many areas, these remained water-logged for hours.

As the area in and around the Punjab Roadways workshop near Gobindgarh Fort was water-logged, its workers could be seen wading through the stagnant water. Some were seen riding motorcycles with shoes in their hands. The buses were standing in a pool of water.

“Whenever it rains in the city, we face the similar problem. Rainwater accumulates in the workshop and remains there for three to four days. We are unable to move in rainwater. The buses, which are parked inside the workshop for repairs, got some technical snags as water entered the engines,” said an employee of the workshop.

Commuters, especially motorcyclists and pedestrians, had a tough time as water got accumulated in potholes, and roadsides. Several vehicles came to a sudden halt on roads due to water-logging and drivers had to push their vehicles to the roadside to give way to other commuters. Rainwater also got accumulated in parking lots.

Gurvinder Singh, a resident of the low-lying area near Daburji Road, said, “It is not happening for the first time. It is unfortunate that the government has not learnt lessons from its past mistakes. Water-logging was also seen on the GT road and its services lanes.”