Just 28 mm rain pours in trouble across Chandigarh

A day after declaration of monsoon, just 28.3 mm of moderate rain left various parts of the tricity severely waterlogged, putting morning commuters through immense hardship.

As rain started around 8 am, 4.4 mm rain was recorded at the India Meteorology Department (IMD) observatory in Sector 39, Chandigarh, till 8.30 am, followed by 23.9 mm rain until 10 am.

The rain left various Chandigarh roads inundated within minutes, leading to traffic disruptions, exposing MC’s claims of being “rain ready” by cleaning road gullies.

Among the areas worst-hit by waterlogging were the Sector 15/16 light point, Sector 39/38 West light point, Press light point, Aroma light point, Heera Singh chowk, Sector 25/38 light point and Sector 18/19 light point. The road from the railway station light point towards the station and from Daria T-Point towards the railway station light point caved in, leading to closure of incoming and outgoing traffic on these routes. A CTU bus also got stuck in the caved-in road.

A road also gave way along the Sector 40/41/54/55 chowk, affecting traffic movement.

Even in Kharar and Zirakpur, poor monsoon preparedness by the respective civic bodies was laid bare by the morning rain, leaving commuters harassed.

Most streets and roads in Zirakpur, including the Zirakpur-Patiala intersection under the flyover, were submerged after the rain.

Major traffic jams were seen on this stretch, with Punjab traffic police personnel seen managing the traffic in knee-deep water. Vehicles were seen stranded in the waterlogged roads, and at many places, water even entered houses and shops.

Broken roads and huge pits on the Kharar-Kurali highway compounded commuters’ troubles amid the rain, with pedestrians and two-wheelers especially struggling to pass through. The situation was worst outside societies on Chajjumajra road, as commuters could not spot the road submerged in water. Residents tried in vain to prevent water from entering their houses.

While Kharar municipal council’s executive officer Manvir Singh Gill did not respond to queries on monsoon preparedness, Kharar SDM Gurmandar Singh said he held a meeting with the authorities concerned to clear the internal roads and roads near the highway.

In Panchkula, laying of stormwater pipeline led to waterlogging in Sector 20.

“The road gullies have not been cleaned and thus waterlogging was witnessed in different pockets in Sector 20,” said Yoginder Kwatra, vice-president, Sector 20 Resident Welfare Association (RWA).

He said sewer water got collected between group housing (GH) society 104 and GH 105.

Municipal corporation commissioner Sachin Gupta said, “We had inspected all areas prone to waterlogging, but the water got cleared. Regarding the work under progress, we will defer the work and will undertake the same after rains.”

As per IMD officials, chances of heavy rain will continue on Wednesday, while light to moderate rain is expected from Thursday onwards.

IMD Chandigarh director AK Singh said after onset, the monsoon system was currently active and a good amount of rain was likely in the city this week.

As the skies cleared up towards the afternoon, the maximum temperature rose from 35.6°C on Monday to 36°C on Tuesday, 0.5 degree above normal. The minimum temperature also rose from 28.2°C on Monday to 28.8°C on Tuesday, 1.7 degree above normal.

As per IMD’s Long Range Forecast issued for July, the city is likely to have above average rain. The forecast is prepared by using probability models, and with the monsoon system set to remain active in this region due to a stronger La Niña current and a subdued El Niño current. Due to rain, the temperature will also stay on the lower side.