Showers spell chaos on Zirakpur, Dera Bassi roads

Mohali, July 8

Traffic jams were the order of the day as vehicles moved at a snail’s pace on the Chandigarh-Ambala national highway due to waterlogging. Zirakpur, Dhakoli and Peer Muchalla roads also witnessed long queues of vehicles.

No home delivery of goods

Sewage from nearby housing societies and rainwater entered our housing society leading to blockage and foul smell. Most residents remained indoors. Home delivery facility by local shopkeepers was stopped in our society due to waterlogging.

Sonia Sood, president, Maya Garden Phase-3 RWA

Several housing societies on VIP Road in Zirakpur were inundated with rainwater as incessant rain lashed the area since morning. The road was waterlogged at several places with commuters facing a harrowing time traversing through this stretch. Women, children and elderly remained closeted inside their homes and watched streets turn into canals from their balconies.

Residents said several societies in low-lying areas in Zirakpur were in knee-deep water with rainwater entering the common areas, parking lots and houses on ground floor.

Dinesh Kumar Tewari, a resident of AKS-2 in Zirakpur and an employee of CITCO, Sector 17, said, “I could not go to office today as rainwater was accumulated on the front and rear of my house.”

In Mohali, low-lying areas of Phase 1 saw the worst of the rain with water inundating roads, houses and open areas. Phases 7, 8, 9, 3B2 and 3A also witnessed waterlogging on roads and parking lots, throwing normal life out of gear.

In Kharar, rainwater entered shops and houses on the College Road. Residents of Gillco Valley complained that for the past one week, they were living in inhuman conditions with rainwater accumulating outside their houses and common areas. They alleged sewage, stagnant water, foul smell and choked drains had made their lives miserable. In ward number 22, vehicles parked in the market were partially submerged in rainwater.

At Dera Bassi, the Fire Station, Old MC Building, Saini Majra and old Dera Bassi area were flooded with rainwater. Residents said all inhabitation on the right side of the Chandigarh-Ambala national highway faced waterlogging.

At Sivalik Vihar in Zirakpur, rainwater entered the ground floor of a majority of houses. At Phase 11 in Mohali, suction pumps of the MC had to be put into use to drain water out of houses and shops.