Rain leaves parts of city waterlogged

Times News NetworkLudhiana: Sudden rainfall on Sunday morning exposed gaps in sewer cleaning and drainage preparedness across the city, with multiple localities getting waterlogged. Although the water drained after some time, residents said the episode served as a warning ahead of the monsoon season. They expressed apprehension of greater disruption if sewer lines were not cleaned thoroughly.The rain acted like a litmus test for the MC, particularly at a time when it is expected to focus on desilting sewers and completing road works. In several areas, water accumulated along roadsides and intersections, with some stretches remaining waterlogged till the evening.Civic officials are already under pressure as unseasonal and frequent rain during April and May has disrupted routine planning. Traditionally, sewer lines are cleaned and road construction started in April, May and June, before the onset of the monsoon in July. Officials said that continued rainfall during this period could make it difficult to complete pending works.Haibowal, Civil Lines, Hambran Road, Sherpur Chowk, Dholewal, Transport Nagar, Pratap Chowk and areas near the Verka Milk Plant were waterlogged after the rain. Sherpur Chowk was the worse hit, with water accumulated on the road till late evening.Residents attributed the problem to inadequate sewer cleaning and demanded immediate corrective measures. They said unless the sewer network was cleared properly, the situation would worsen once the regular rainy season began.Sunita Gupta, a resident of Haibowal, said authorities should ensure proper desilting of sewer lines before the monsoon to prevent frequent waterlogging after even short spells of rain. She also said attention should be paid to Buddha Dariya, which causes problems for nearby localities during heavy rainfall.Kuldeep Singh from Civil City said people were spared major inconvenience as the waterlogging took place on a Sunday. Had it been a working day, he said, commuters and schoolchildren would have faced serious difficulties. Meanwhile, officials from the MC operation and maintenance cell said there was no need for panic. An official assured that desilting of clogged main sewer lines would be carried out before the rainy season. He added that the waterlogging witnessed on Sunday subsided after some time and explained that the existing domestic sewer system is not designed to carry rainwater.The official maintained that steps were being planned to minimise waterlogging, but acknowledged that unusual weather patterns were posing challenges for both drainage management and road construction work in the city.