Patiala: 11-mm rain hits life in royal city

A mere 11 mm of rainfall was enough to bring the royal city of Patiala to its knees today. The deluge left many areas waterlogged, with Partap Nagar and Police Lines being worst-affected. Heavy traffic jams were witnessed on the road leading to Amar Hospital, where accumulated water exacerbated the situation.

Parents, especially mothers who had ventured out on scooters to pick up their children from school, found themselves stranded in the downpour. In Ajit Nagar, the scene was chaotic as parents on two-wheelers drove through flooded roads with their children riding pillion, struggling to navigate the treacherous conditions.

The traffic chaos extended beyond the city limits, spilling onto the highways. Queues of stranded vehicles were seen near Chitkara University, close to Neelam Hospital, as traffic on both sides of the Rajpura-Chandigarh Highway came to a standstill.

The situation was terrible across various parts of the city. Anardana Chowk, Chandni Chowk, Urban Estate Phase II, Model Town, Chhoti Baradari, Old Bus Stand and Lahal Colony, all experienced significant waterlogging, exposing the inadequacies of Patiala’s drainage system. In several areas, rainwater entered homes forcing residents to use wipers and buckets to drain it out.

Despite assurances from the authorities that the city was prepared for the monsoon, the ground reality painted a different picture. In the old city, rainwater surged into cars parked near the Twin Park area around Arna Barna Chowk. Residents of Tripuri and Phulkian Enclave found themselves marooned by rising waters, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Residents pointed to the mismanagement of sewerage as a key contributor to the flooding. The dumping of dairy waste into the city’s sewerage has compounded the problem, blocking the flow of both rainwater and sewage.

Despite substantial funds being allocated to relocate dairy farmers outside the city, the government’s failure to enforce the shift worsened the drainage woes.

The flooding caused numerous vehicles to break down, leading to traffic snarls across the city. Pedestrians struggled to find dry paths, while two-wheeler riders risked their safety trying to navigate the submerged roads.