Rain throws life out of gear in Ludhiana

The rain, which started in the early hours of Thursday, brought a tough times for residents of low-lying areas. Waterlogging was reporte

d acorss several parts of the city, forcing commuters—especially cyclists and bikers—to wade through flooded stretches.

Chander Nagar pulley, Janakpuri, RK Road (from Gill Road towards Dholewal), Giaspura and the area near Lodhi Club were among the worst hit. Residents struggled to reach their workplaces as the stretches remained submerged.

The downpour also worried district authorities as the grounds earmarked for the Independence Day function tomorrow at the PAU got soaked after rain lashed the city for nearly four hours. Around 3,500 school students are expected to participate in the event. Nodal Officer Vishva Kirat Kaur said 1,550 students from four schools will perform in the choreography segment, while eight schools each will perform giddha and bhangra. “We are concerned about tomorrow’s weather as the Met Department and various forecasts predict 70 per cent chances of rain,” she said.

For residents, however, the misery was more personal. Samta Yadav, a cutting master from Janakpuri, said: “Our streets are low-lying, and excessive rains are a nightmare. We live in vehras which aren’t well maintained. Seepage, leakages and at times, water entering our homes force us to remove it with buckets.”

In Sector 32-A, residents near Park 24 complained of waterlogging because of garbage piles. Joginder Singh said: “We’ve filed several complaints, but the garbage is never lifted on time. In rains, it floats outside our homes, giving off a foul smell. This can trigger major health hazards. The authorities concerned must act before it’s too late.”

Near Lodhi Club, residents criticised the design of the underpass, which they said led to water stagnating in the area every year. “Vehicles stall mid-way and commuters struggle to restart them. The issue has persisted for years, but no permanent solution has been provided,” said Srishti, a businesswoman.

Threat of floods looms

While continuous rain has caused miseries for villagers living along Sutlej river. Avtar Singh from Issapur near Machiwara said that mining was not being controlled by the authorities concerned due to which the threat of floods loomed large. “We are worried as twice the amount of water that normally enters our fields is now coming. Those into illegal mining continue to dig sand from the banks of river and we live under the constant threat of flooding,” he added.