Heavy rain leaves Ambala waterlogged

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, August 11

Several localities witnessed severe water logging in Ambala city and Ambala Cantonment after heavy rain lashed the area on Sunday, causing inconvenience to commuters and local residents.

As per the administration, the Ambala city and Ambala Cantonment recorded 210 mm and 110 mm rain, respectively, since Saturday night.

Low-lying areas such as Jagadhri Gate, Hira Nagar, Nadi Mohalla, Model Town, Ambika Mata Temple, Sector 9, Shukalkund road, Cloth Market, Nahan House, Nadi Mohalla, Puja Vihar, Moti Bagh, Mahesh Nagar witnessed heavy waterlogging.

While rainwater entered several houses and shops, drains overflowed on to streets causing inconvenience to commuters.

There was knee-deep water in several areas and residents were seen using buckets and installing pumps to drain out the water from their houses and shops. People were also seen shifting their belonging to safer places.

The residents said that Ambala witnessed the problem every year and the administration hadn’t been able to improve the drainage system.

Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Inder Nagar, said, “The government hasn’t learnt any lesson from the floods last year. The water entered the houses and we can’t do anything except wait for the water to recede.”

Narender Kumar, a trader at the Cloth Market, said, “We were already facing heavy losses due to the closure of Shambhu border, and now severe waterlogging is causing further losses to us. It takes hours for the water to recede from the market. Some shopkeepers are also at fault as drains are not properly cleaned due to encroachment.”

Rajesh Mehta, Deputy Mayor, Ambala Municipal Corporation, said, “There are three major drains and 89 minor drains but these are not properly cleaned. Action should be taken against the contractor and the officials for the situation.”

SDM Ambala cantonment cum administrator of Municipal council Ambala Sadar Satinder Siwach said, “There were complaints of waterlogging in the low-lying areas and the colonies situated along the Tangri river due to the rain. The officials were directed to drain out the water.”

Ambala Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta issued directions to the officials of the municipal corporation and district officials. He said, “The corporation officials have been directed to ensure that their pumps are functioning and to increase the number of pumps to drain out water from the affected areas.”