Incessant rain pours misery on Chandigarh tricity

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, July 8

Severe waterlogging was witnessed across the city as the incessant rain continued throughout the day today.

Waterlogged roads caused traffic jams. Several vehicles broke down in knee-deep water and cars got damaged due to felling trees. Residents complained of disruption in power supply in several sectors during the rain.

Things turned worse for a few hotels in Sector 35 where rainwater entered their basement. Baljinder Singh, owner of the Metro hotel, said, “An area has been dug up the area for laying storm water lines. The water seeped into the basement of four or five properties from there. Sewerage in the area got choked. The basic sense of not carrying out digging during monsoon should have been there. They have nothing to do with the problems people face due to such insensible acts.”

According to the traffic police, waterlogging was witnessed at Gurdwara Chowk (Sector 20/30/32/33), Press Light Point (Sec-8/9/17/18) Madhya Marg and near the Police Station-East chowk (Sector 26). Normal traffic was restored after much effort.

Waterlogging was also witnessed at the Sector 27/28 light point, Colony No. 4 light point-Poultry Farm Chowk, the SGGS, Sector 7, light point towards Sector 7, 19/27/20/30 Chowk, Sector 19-27 road, Tribune Chowk, Sector 20-21-D road, Sec 21-C road, Sector 25/38 light point and Matka Chowk (Sector 9/10/16/17) among other places.

“I got late for the office today as waterlogging caused massive traffic jams. The MC has failed in its preparedness for the monsoon season,” said Arvind Sharma, who works at a private company in Sector 34.

Industrial Area also witnessed severe waterlogging. “All along the railway tracks, there is a certain area of railway property, beyond which the MC is responsible. No one takes responsibility for maintaining and cleaning this common area. As a result, the drains get choked with trash and plastics, which is one of the major causes of waterlogging in Industrial Area, Phase II,” said Naveen Manglani, vice-president, Chamber of Chandigarh industries.

A tree fell on two vehicles inside the police headquarters complex, Sector 9. A fire team reached the spot and helped remove the broken branches. A car parked outside the house of Amit Kumar in a Sector 19-D was also damaged as a tree fell on it. A big tree gave way on the Madhya Marg. Fortunately, there was no one under it at that time.

“The authorities should properly do a survey of all trees and ensure there is no dead or dry tree. Otherwise, it may lead to fatal accidents,” said a resident.

The rain has once again exposed the ill-preparedness of the Municipal Corporation that claimed to have cleaned over 90 per cent road gullies. The rainwater had remained stagnant around the choked road gullies for a long time.

The MC claimed the road gully cleaning was not the issue, in fact, the existing storm water drainage system did not have enough capacity to handle high volume of rainfall.