Showers leave Zirakpur roads flooded, commuters hassled

Light to moderate rain once again led to waterlogging in parts of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula today. Zirakpur was the worst-hit with the busy Singhpura and Patiala chowks witnessing severe waterlogging, causing major traffic bottlenecks and chaos on the main roads leading to Chandigarh, Panchkula and Patiala.

In Chandigarh, 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. At least five villages of Mohali district and several in Morni, Barwala, Pinjore and Raipur Rani blocks in Panchkula district still remain cut off as 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 floodgate of Sukhna Lake was today once again opened after the water level rose close to the danger mark. The opening of the floodgate led to the flooding of the Sukhna Choe, which affected normal life in Kishanpura, Bapu Dham Colony, Industrial Area, Bhankharpur, Zirakpur and Dera Bassi areas.

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

The seasonal rivulets Patiala Ki Rao, Jayanti Ki Rao, nullahs and other water bodies that had caused massive destruction in Dadumajra and Dhanas in Chandigarh, Jayanti Majri, Gurha, Kasoli, Bhagindi, Karoundi Wala, Tanda and Tandi villages in Mohali, which remained cut-off from Chandigarh, were still flowing fast.

Chandigarh MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari today inspected the areas in and around Dadumajra and Dhanas where the overflowing Patiala Ki Rao damaged the standing crops. He requested the Deputy Commissioner if the rivulet could be properly dredged, embankments paved and a proper water front could be created to alleviate the suffering of the people. He also requested for developing a water front by beautifying the area and for laying a road on the other side from the Dhanas bridge to the Togan bridge, which can also be reconstructed by elevating its height.

“The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh needs to also clean out the swamp created by the dumping of leached water from the Dadumajra dumping ground,” Tewari said, while suggesting 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 degree Celsius in the tricity region.

While Mohali witnessed 18.5-mm rainfall, Chandigarh and Panchkula logged 9.7-mm and 0.5-mm downpour during the past 24 hours.

The relative humidity in Chandigarh was recorded at 90% today.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted partly cloudy sky with thunderstorm and rain in the tricity region for the next five days till September 11. The day and night temperatures are likely to remain between maximum 32 and minimum 25 degree Celsius.