Heavy rain floods Amritsar, throws life out of gear

Paddy growers worried as waterlogged fields can cause delay in harvesting the ripened early sown varieties

Incessant rainfall in Amritsar and neighbouring Tarn Taran district since 6am on Friday left the cities inundated and threw life out of gear.

An inundated Heritage Street that leads to the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh after heavy rain in Amritsar on Friday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

Almost all roads in Amritsar, including Heritage Street that leads to the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh, were waterlogged. With lack of proper drainage, the area was under one to two feet of water by the afternoon. Most localities in the heart of Amritsar were flooded with commuters struggling to reach their destination. Rainwater entered houses and shops in low-lying areas.

Such a heavy downpour for a prolonged duration has not been witnessed in recent years. The day started like a normal rainy day and people left for work in the morning, but the continuous downpour till the afternoon left many high and dry. Students and their parents were the most worried.

Downpour concern for paddy growers

Heavy rain at this stage is worrisome for paddy growers as the harvesting season is nearing as procurement starts in the first week of October. “At present, the early sown paddy has ripened and is nearing harvest. Heavy rain can affect the ripened crop,” said Amritsar chief agriculture officer Kuljit Singh Saini.

“Waterlogged fields will delay harvesting as combine harvesters cannot be operated in fields in such a situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents of the area along the Ravi and Beas rivers are worried as the area is inundated.