Chandigarh: Rain leaves roads waterlogged, mercury dips 4 degrees

Around 12:30 pm and 4 pm today, the tricity region witnessed moderate to heavy downpour, leading to waterlogging and traffic chaos in major parts of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.

While Chandigarh experienced 14-mm rainfall, comprising 10.8-mm during the day and 3.2-mm between 5:30 pm on Sunday and 8:30 am on Monday, Mohali and Panchkula got 6.5-mm and 6-mm showers in the past 24 hours.

Low-lying areas, major roads and junctions were inundated, causing bottlenecks in the smooth flow of traffic.

The waterlogging once again exposed the ill-preparedness and lackadaisical approach on the part of the Municipal Corporation authorities, who failed to ensure the proper cleaning of road gullies for rainwater disposal.

Sumit Kumar, a trader of the Sector 34 market, said parking areas were inundated as the rain continued for the whole day.

He said there were many educational institutes in the market. A large number of students visiting these institutes had a tough time wadding through waterlogged roads.

The residents of Dadumajra, Khuda Ali Sher, Palsora and Behlana villages also faced a lot of problems due to waterlogging.

Similar reports were also received from the Sector 26, Manimajra and Dadumajra. The local residents said the potholed roads posed a greater risk to commuters in the rainy season. Meanwhile, Chandigarh recorded a maximum of 30.4 and minimum of 26.5 degree Celsius temperature. The maximum temperature was 4.6 degrees less than yesterday’s reading and 3.1 below normal.

Mohali and Panchkula logged 30.4°C and 30.6°C maximum, and 26.4°C and 26.6 minimum temperature, respectively.

The Weather Department has predicted partly and generally cloudy skies with thunderstorms and rain in the tricity till August 15.

“As compared to yesterday, there was a fall of 2.7 and 1 degree Celsius in the average maximum temperature, which was near normal and below normal by 2.3 degree Celsius in Punjab and Haryana, respectively, on Monday,” the IMD said. The highest maximum temperature of 36.9 degree Celsius was recorded at Palwal in Haryana, followed by 36.3 degree Celsius at Amritsar in Punjab in the region.