Low-lying areas still waterlogged in city

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 18

Some low-lying areas in the city are waterlogged even a day after the city received heavy rain.

Though motor pumps were used when it started raining and water was pumped out in many areas, water is still accumulated in many low-lying areas.

Water is lying stagnant on the GT Road opposite three cinema house and from Hazi Rattan Chowk towards Balmiki Chowk.

It took much time to pump out water from the low-lying areas as the main sewer line has not been cleaned yet by the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB). As a result, water started coming out in reverse near Sirki Bazaar.

Commuters and drivers faced a harrowing time passing through the waterlogged streets. Shopkeepers also had a tough time as water remained accumulated in front of many shops on the GT Road.

Rakesh Narula, a city resident, said people were now afraid of rains as 30 minutes of downpour results in submerging the city under water.

He said this was due to the poor working of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB).

Another resident Jaspal Sharma said the condition of the drainage system in the city was poor as its taking more than a day to drain rainwater from the main roads.

Manjit Singh, another city resident, said when the drainage system was laid out for the city, the population was far less than what it was now.

The excessive pressure of population is taking a toll on the low-lying areas, which face a flood like situation when it rains, he added.

While talking over phone, a Triveni Company official said they had started the motor on time and rainwater was disposed quickly.

When asked about the disposal of rainwater in the low-lying areas, he said it was because the main sewer line was blocked as the MCB was yet to hand it over to them after cleaning it.