Rain exposes Jalandhar MC’s ill-preparedness

Jalandhar, July 3

A midnight deluge on Tuesday revealed the Municipal Corporation’s lack of preparedness to handle waterlogging in the city. Posh neighborhoods and low-lying areas, including Sodal, Basti, Gazi Gullan, Ram Nagar, Transport Nagar, and many major roads, were inundated, causing significant inconvenience to commuters.

Residents waded through waterlogged and muddy streets, criticising the Municipal Corporation’s inefficacy in addressing this persistent issue.

The most affected areas included Ladowali Road, Lamma Pind Chowk, Urban Estate Phase II, the Jalandhar-Amritsar Highway near Sarab Multiplex, and Gazi Gullan. Shopkeepers in these regions lamented that clogged sewers lead to prolonged water accumulation whenever it rains, severely impacting their businesses. They reported that despite repeated requests for the sewers to be cleaned before the monsoon, no action was taken by the MC.

In Gazi Gullan, ankle-deep water and scattered sewage made commuting extremely difficult. Industrialist Rajan Sharda pointed out the discrepancy between the MC Commissioner recent claim of resolving the sewerage issue in Gazi Gullan and the reality exposed by the rain. “The last night’s rain demonstrated that the problem still persists with no permanent solution in place,” Sharda said.

Residents expressed their frustration on social media, sharing images of the waterlogged streets and criticising the MC’s neglect of the drainage system despite substantial financial expenditures purportedly for development. “Monsoon season is just around the corner, and Jalandhar is already ‘Jal Ke Andar’ (underwater),” posted Abhishek Mishra, a local resident.

Simar, another resident, highlighted the dangers posed by waterlogged roads, noting that hidden potholes often cause accidents or vehicle damage. Meanwhile, MC officials said that addressing waterlogging is their priority and they are working on it.