Rain leaves Patiala roads waterlogged

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 4

Though the rain that lashed city on Tuesday night dropped the temperatures to as low as 22.7°C, it led to waterlogging in several areas. Heavy rainfall chocked the city roads causing inconvenience to commuters.

Officials in the Municipal Corporation (MC) said they had completed about 80 per cent of the cleanliness work of sewerage lines in the city.

Rainfall started on Tuesday around 1.30 am and continued till about 11 am on Wednesday.

Despite cleanliness works initiated by the MC, many areas, including Anand Nagar, near Gol Gappa Chowk Tripuri, Model Town, near railway crossing 22, Mata Kaushalya Hospital, Triveni Chowk, Naam-Daan-Khan road, Arna-Barna Chowk, old tractor market near Anardana Chowk, Chandni Chowk to Nabha gate, were most affected due to waterlogging. Also pits, manholes and openly strewn garbage aggravated the problems for city residents.

The Meteorological (MET) Department recorded the rainfall of 51.6 mm. The total rainfall recorded by the MET Department during the current monsoon season so far is of 242 mm.

Gundeep, a resident, said rain was important for the fields and the city both. “The rain is a natural phenomenon, but the Municipal Corporation (MC) should maintain provisions to clear the city from impending issues. People faced inconvenience due to stranded water. The MC should make proper provisions for rainwater management on time.”

Sakshi Khanna, a housewife living near Nabha gate, said, “This year, garbage was comparatively low in the streets and on roads. However, we had to face the issue of waterlogging.”

An official in the Municipal Corporation (MC) said, “The corporation will allot tenders for cleaning of two km stretch of covered nullah (drain) passing through Lahori Gate, Nabha Gate, Bhasha Vibhag and Sabzi Mandi. Work in this area will be started this month.”