Open drains continue to pose threat in Panchkula

The child, who was accompanying her elder sister to the bus stand to meet their father, fell into the drain that had been obscured from view due to flooding

Civic authorities seem to have learnt no lessons from the tragic death of a nine-year-old girl, who had slipped into a drain in Vishwakarma Colony on Saturday, as numerous open manholes across the city continue to pose risk to pedestrians and commuters alike.

The view of open rainy drain near Parashuram Bhavan Sector 12-A in Panchkula on Sunday. (Sant Arora/HT)

The child, who was accompanying her elder sister to the bus stand to meet their father, fell into the drain that had been obscured from view due to flooding.

On Sunday, a glaring example of a similar hazard was observed near Parshuram Bhawan in Sector-12 A, where an open drain, brimming with dirty rainy water, sits uncovered on the footpath alongside the road. Such an open pit presents a clear danger, especially during periods of darkness or waterlogging, when visibility is poor and passersby could easily fall in.

Sunday’s heavy rainfall also caused a section of the road near Cactus Garden, Sector-5, to collapse, creating a sinkhole. Waterlogging was reported from several areas in the city, specifically Sector 19.

Meanwhile, police teams physically surveyed the Ghaggar riverbanks and nearby settlements to check for rising water levels. The Ghaggar tends to swell during heavy rainfall, causing flood-like situations in low-lying areas. Police strictly advised citizens against any complacency during this period, emphasizing that venturing near the riverbanks unnecessarily could be dangerous.