Torrential rain turns Jalandhar roads, streets into river
Avneet Kaur
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, August 11
The city was brought to its knees on Sunday as heavy rain accompanied by strong winds plunged the majority of roads and localities into chaos for hours.
The deluge, which began around 7:30 in the morning and persisted until the afternoon, led to widespread waterlogging, power outages and significant traffic disruptions, exposing the severe shortcomings in the city’s infrastructure and preparedness.
Besides, it has again highlighted the inefficacy of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation (MC) in managing the city’s drainage systems. Despite numerous promises and budget allocations, the MC’s efforts have fallen short, leaving residents to cope with the recurring nightmare of monsoon waterlogging. The lack of effective action has fuelled the growing frustration and anger among residents.
The downpour inundated various parts of the city, from posh neighbourhoods to low-lying areas, turning streets into rivers and leaving motorists and pedestrians stranded. High-end localities like Model Town, Urban Estate Phase-I and II and Mota Singh Nagar were affected, along with vulnerable areas such as Sodal, Basti areas, Gazi Gullan, Bhagat Singh Colony, Ram Nagar and Transport Nagar. Major thoroughfares like 120 ft Road, Ladowali Road, Rama Mandi, Guru Nanak Pura, Lamba Pind Chowk, and Pathankot Bypass were submerged, causing severe inconvenience and safety hazards.
Traffic snarls disrupted key areas, particularly in Model Town, near Pathankot Chowk and Bhagat Singh Colony, where uprooted trees blocked roads, adding to the chaos. In Bhagat Singh Colony, the situation was particularly dire as an overflowing drain caused sewer water to enter several homes. While the MC scrambled to deploy ditch machines to clear the blockage, residents criticised the authorities for their reactive approach, pointing out that the drain had been neglected for long.
Several underpasses, including the Chandan Nagar Railway Underbridge (RUB), Ikehri Pulli and Damoria Flyover were rendered impassable due to knee-deep water, forcing the authorities to close these entirely.
As frustrations boiled over, residents took to social media to vent their anger. “The first heavy rain of the season and Jalandhar is again ‘Jal Ke Andar’ (underwater),” lamented local resident Kavita Mishra. She expressed the sentiment, “I wore old shoes today, knowing I’d have to wade through flooded streets. It’s disheartening that after so many years, the MC still hasn’t found a solution to this age-old problem.”
Ranbir Singh, a commuter on Ladowali Road, highlighted the danger posed by the waterlogged streets. “With the roads flooded, you can’t see the potholes until it’s too late. I’ve seen people falling off their vehicles or getting stuck in these hidden traps,” he said.
Social media was abuzz with posts and memes showing the city’s submerged streets, stranded vehicles and frustrated residents. “Who is to blame for this mess?” they asked, as images of waterlogged roads, cars, bikes and autorickshaws struggling in the water-filled streets were shared widely.
Despite the outcry, MC officials maintained that addressing waterlogging was the top priority and assured residents that efforts were ongoing. However, for many, these reassurances ring hollow, as the city continues to grapple with the same issues year after year.
