Rain pours misery on low-lying areas of Chandigarh; Zirakpur worst hit

Light to moderate rainfall once again led to waterlogging in different parts of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula on Saturday.

Zirakpur was the worst-hit with the busy Singhpura and Patiala Chowks facing deluge, causing major traffic bottlenecks and chaos on the main roads leading to Chandigarh, Panchkula and Patiala. The commuters were forced to wade through the waterlogged roads and junctions.

In Chandigarh also, several low-lying areas, roads and intersections were inundated following the intermittent and scattered showers during the day.

The situation remained grim in the periphery areas of Chandigarh with at least five villages, close to the state capital, falling in Mohali district and several villages in Morni, Barwala, Pinjore and Raipur Rani blocks in Panchkula district still remaining cut off after the bridges, culverts and stretches linking them with the main roads were washed away during the region’s heaviest and highest-ever rainfall on Wednesday.

Following the continuous inflow of rainwater, a flood gate of Sukhna Lake was once again opened today after the water level rose close to the danger mark. This once again led to flooding of the Sukhna Choe, pouring more misery on residents living in Kishanpura, Bapu Dham Colony, Industrial Area, Bhankharpur, Zirakpur and Dera Bassi areas.

However, the water level in Ghaggar river was reported under control, giving much-needed respite to the catchment areas, which had been on edge and spending sleepless nights for the past over a week.

The seasonal rivulets — Patiala Ki Rao, Jayanti Ki Rao — various nullahs, and other water bodies that caused massive destruction in areas like Dadumajra and Dhanas (Chandigarh), and in villages in Mohali — including Jayanti Majri, Gurha, Kasoli, Bhagindi, Karoundi Wala, Tanda, and Tandi — were still flowing fast. These villages, which remained cut off from Chandigarh, continued to be affected by the swift currents.

Chandigarh MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari today inspected the areas in and around Dadumajra and Dhanas, where the Patiala Ki Rao overflowed and damaged the villagers’ standing crop.

He requested the Deputy Commissioner if the Patiala Ki Rao could be properly dredged, the embankments paved, and a waterfront developed to ease the community’s suffering. Simultaneously, he proposed beautifying the area by building a road along the opposite bank — from the Dhanas bridge to the Togan bridge — and reconstructing it by elevating its height.

“The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh also needs to clean out the swamp created by the dumping of leached water from the Dadumajra dumping ground,” Tewari said. He suggested that it could become a marquee project if the MC and UT Administration take it up as a joint endeavour.

Meanwhile, the mercury dipped considerably by up to 5.6 notches during the day while it rose by 2.3°C in Tricity.

While Mohali witnessed 18.5-mm rainfall, Chandigarh and Panchkula logged 9.7-mm and 0.5-mm downpour during the last 24 hours. The relative humidity in Chandigarh was recorded at 90 per cent today.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted partially cloudy sky with thunderstorm and rain in Tricity for the next five days till September 11, during which the day and night temperature is likely to remain between maximum 32 and minimum 25°C.