No respite from waterlogging in city roads in deep waters

Tribune News Service

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Ludhiana, July 12

The rainfall on Friday morning caused waterlogging once again in various parts of the city, exposing the poor arrangements made by the government departments concerned for rainy season. The commuters were seen struggling on waterlogged roads.

Major waterlogging was witnessed at various locations on Hambran Road, Panj Peer Road, Kitchlu Nagar, near railway crossing on Pakhowal Road, Transport Nagar, Jalandhar Bypass, Dhandari, National Highway 1, Link Road and many other locations. Water has also got accumulated at various underpasses in city areas on the NH-1. The water was still stagnant at various locations till evening.

Meanwhile, a portion of road caved in at the mini-secretariat. However, the actual cause behind it was yet to be ascertained.

The Chairman of the Indian Institute of Architects Punjab Chapter, Sanjay Goel, questioned that as to why the civic body failed to pay attention towards those areas, including Dholewal, Miller Ganj, Transport Nagar and others, where the waterlogging was being witnessed for more than past two decades. The government departments concerned failed to take required measures to avoid waterlogging during rainfall, he said.

“The concrete surface is increasing here. Even the side verges of the roads are being made of concrete, but there is no proper drainage system. There is a dire need to set up a rain harvesting system in right manner at various parts of the city so that groundwater can be recharged. The government should take steps to install storm water drainage system in the city,” he said.

The MC Superintending Engineer could not be contacted for a comment. However, the staff was deployed to get the road gullies cleared to drain out water from different localities.

As the ongoing work under the smart street project at Malhar Road was stalled due to rainfall, members of the shopkeepers association asked why the project work was started just before rainy season. The shopkeepers claimed that the rainfall had increased their woes as mud was spread outside their shops. The shopkeepers claimed that their business got badly affected as smart street project was started without any proper planning. President of the association Parmjeet Singh said the commuters were also suffering due to muddy condition of stretch.

26.8-mm rainfall recorded

26.8-mm rainfall was recorded by the PAU on Friday. The weather is expected to remain cloudy with possibility of rainfall over Ludhiana and its adjoining areas during the next 24 hours.

Smart City jokes on social media

People were seen sharing Smart City Ludhiana jokes on social media as city roads flooded at different points after a short spell of rain. A video clip of waterlogging and garbage on roads with using a song “Hoya Smart Ludhiana Sada Shahar Hai” is also being shared on the social media. The people reminded the authorities concerned of their claims of making Ludhiana a Smart City on social media.