Poor drainage bane of Zirakpur

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, December 1

An hour of rain spells chaos in the town, with roads flooded and long queues of vehicles stuck in traffic jams. Pedestrians struggle to cross severely flooded roads.

While it rains, most of the local residents give their outdoor works a miss, choosing to stay indoors, not because of the hassle of getting wet, but to avoid getting stuck in traffic jams here.

The town seems to have a non-existent drainage wing. Either there is no drainage system or it is non-functional. Take the case of the Patiala chowk where new drains were constructed around the monsoon season. The first rain of winter has proved that the effort is just not sufficient. Waterlogging and consequent snarl-ups at the chowk throw the traffic out of gear immediately.

Sewers laid at Patiala chowk insufficient

• At the Patiala chowk, new drains were constructed around the monsoon season. The first rain of winter has proved that the effort is just not sufficient. Waterlogging and consequent snarl-ups at the chowk throw the traffic out of gear immediately.

Natural drain encroached on

• A small town built in a low-lying area, Zirakpur doesn’t have a robust storm water drainage system. The town is largely dependent on choes and rivulets, which are already clogged or encroached upon by constructing colonies, for the drainage of rainwater.

Officials’ apathy

• A resident of Maya Garden, Phase 3, Sonia Sood, said, “Maya Garden Phase 1& 2 and Rail Vihar are all facing sewage and waterlogging problems. We have met every official but there is no solution.”

Stagnant rainwater continues to pose problems for the road users near Maya Garden and Rail Vihar on the VIP Road, a day after the downpour.

Originally, a small town built long ago in a low-lying area, Zirakpur doesn’t have a robust storm water drainage system. The town is largely dependent on choes and rivulets, which are already clogged or encroached upon by constructing colonies, for the drainage of rainwater. The rainwater harvesting systems in a majority of the societies are lying defunct due to various reasons.

The town has a burgeoning population of around 5 lakh, bisected by a national highway, and refuses to employ modern town planning measures.

A resident of Maya Garden, Phase 3, Sonia Sood, said, “Maya Garden Phase 1& 2 and Rail Vihar are all facing sewage water and waterlogging problems. We have met every official but there is no solution.”

Shivalik Vihar locality is one of the worst-affected area by the waterlogging problem.

At Peermuchalla, members of 16 residential societies alleged that illegal sewerage connections in the storm drain of Panchkula posed risk of flooding to their houses in the monsoon season.

Meanwhile, Zirakpur Municipal Council Executive Officer Ravneet Singh said, “All new roads under construction, the national highway on Ambala and Panchkula side, MC Road, Gazipur road and Peermuchalla road have the provision of storm sewers. With regard to VIP Road, a few stretches have storm water drains and work is on to lay more pipes.”

The MC official said the Patiala chowk mess would be sorted out once the storm water drain project for Shivalik Vihar began. Local residents said the recently laid drains near the Patiala chowk were of very limited use because there were gradient issues.

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