A brief spell of early morning rain on Thursday exposed the monsoon preparedness of the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) as waterlogging was reported from several parts of the city.
A visit to various city areas revealed that numerous roadside gullies were clogged, preventing proper drainage of rainwater. Waterlogging was witnessed on key stretches, including Lower Mall Road, the road from Theekriwala Chowk to the Municipal Corporation office, Raghomajra Road, and areas in front of Punjabi University.
The accumulation of water on roads also slowed vehicular movement and caused inconvenience to commuters across the city. Navdeep Singh, a resident of Jujhar Nagar, said the issue of poor monsoon preparedness surfaced every year, but little is done to address it permanently.
“The authorities make promises every year but the situation remains unchanged. Even a short spell of rain leads to waterlogging in many parts of the city,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, Mayor Kundan Gogia said directions had been issued to strengthen pre-monsoon preparations. “I have asked the authorities to hire additional manpower for a month to ensure thorough cleaning of choked road gullies before the onset of the monsoon,” Gogia said. He added that officials of the Municipal Corporation would be deployed as nodal officers in different zones to monitor and supervise the cleaning operations.
Suction pumps would also be kept ready to tackle emergency situations during heavy rainfall. “Dedicated teams will carry out regular cleaning of road gullies and master drains to prevent choking of the drainage network during the monsoon season,” the Mayor said.Gogia said the Municipal Corporation would establish a special flood-control room during the monsoon period to ensure a swift response to waterlogging incidents.
“Necessary manpower, machinery and support systems will be put in place to provide immediate assistance to residents and ensure smooth movement on city roads,” he added.
Trees uprooted
Patiala again witnessed a sudden change in weather in the evening with a moderate downpour coupled with gusty winds. Many trees in the city were uprooted, disrupting the traffic movement. There were reports of disruption in power supply in many areas of the city.
