Chandigarh not monsoon-ready, 40% road gullies yet to be cleaned

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21

The city apparently is not ready for the monsoon season. Even as the monsoon is expected to arrive in the city in three days, the local Municipal Corporation has been able to clean only 60 per cent of the 30,000 road gullies so far. Since a large number of road gullies are yet to be cleaned, it could increase the chances of waterlogging during rain.

“No road gullies have been cleaned in our area. Due to rain the other day, water accumulated at the place where the apni mandi is set up. Even at places where road gullies are being cleaned, the work is not being done properly,” said Joginder Singh, general secretary, Residents Welfare Association, Sector 56.

Many gullies have not been cleaned properly. In front of the Sector 17 bus stand, after cleaning the road gullies, workers kept the waste in the open. Due to rain, it again covered the road gullies.

“It wastes the whole effort. After cleaning the gullies, the waste should be removed right away,” said a resident of Sector 24.

According to the Chandigarh Meteorological Department, the monsoon is expected to hit the city on June 24 or 25.

MC Executive Engineer Vijay Premi, in-charge of this work, said, “All manholes have been cleaned while 60 per cent of the road gullies have also been cleaned. By the first week of July, the work on all road gullies will be over. The work on major roads has already been completed and only some internal roads are left. In two to four days, work will start in UT villages. Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the work got affected.”

The city witnesses waterlogging during the monsoon every year. In some parts, even a brief spell of rain leaves roads, traffic junctions and parking lots inundated, inconveniencing commuters.

Monsoon likely to hit city on June 24-25

• According to the Chandigarh Meteorological Department, the monsoon is expected to hit the city on June 24 or 25.

32.9 mm of rainfall recorded

• Pre-monsoon showers hit the city late on Saturday night. Till 8.30 am on Sunday, the city recorded 32.9 mm of rainfall.

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