Rain exposes Patiala MC’s claims of monsoon preparedness

A brief but intense spell of rain this morning brought the city to a standstill, exposing glaring lapses in the Municipal Corporation’s (MC) monsoon preparedness.

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The rain, which started around 9 am, lasted barely an hour but was enough to throw daily life out of gear. Office-goers bore the brunt as waterlogged roads disrupted traffic and stranded commuters. Two-wheeler riders were seen taking shelter under trees, flyovers and shopfronts, while several cars broke down in the middle of flooded streets, adding to traffic jams at few locations.

Areas worst affected included Model Town, Azad Nagar, Choti Baradari, Old Bus Stand, Urban Estate, Sidhu Colony, and Phoolkian Enclave, where ankle to knee-deep water accumulated quickly, making roads nearly impassable.

“It was utter chaos. The roads were completely inundated, and the stench from the sewage was overwhelming,” said Ravinder Dhindra, a resident of Tripuri. “It took nearly five hours for the water to drain out, clearly indicating that the authorities were grossly unprepared.”

Local businesses, meanwhile, bore the brunt of the waterlogging. Office goers in Chhoti Baradari and near the Old Bus Stand reported that daily operations came to a halt as rainwater flooded the market areas.

Despite repeated assurances from the MC about comprehensive preparedness — including regular desilting of drains and sewer system upgrades — the ground reality painted a starkly different picture, leaving residents disillusioned and questioning the corporation’s claims.

Municipal officials maintained they were working to address the immediate situation. They attributed the waterlogging to plastic waste choking drainage lines at several locations, which hindered the smooth flow of rainwater.