Torrential rain spells misery across tricity, Mohali, Panchkula, periphery worst-hit
The road connecting Omaxe in New Chandigarh to Kurali-Chandigarh road caved in, leaving an approximately 20-ft gap, on Monday morning. The police department also shared a video to inform that a link road connecting Max Hospital to Rani Majra in New Chandigarh area has been washed away
Rain continued to wreak havoc across tricity and its periphery areas for the third consecutive day, leading to building collapses, road cave-ins, and waterlogging at several places. Panchkula, Mohali and the periphery areas bore the most brunt though Chandigarh residents weren’t placed any better.
Major cave-in near Omaxe
The road connecting Omaxe in New Chandigarh to Kurali-Chandigarh road caved in, leaving an approximately 20-ft gap, on Monday morning. The police department also shared a video to inform that a link road connecting Max Hospital to Rani Majra in New Chandigarh area has been washed away.
Advocate Sahil Puri, a resident of Omaxe housing society in New Chandigarh, blamed a builder for digging the road to flush out rain water collected in the artificial lake of the society.With roads being dug up, residents have to travel from Chandigarh to enter Mohali. GMADA chief administrator Rajiv Gupta has ordered a probe into the matter.
Reports of soil erosion also emerged from the Baddi- Kurali Highway. The approach road to Phase- 6 civil hospital and the main road in Phase- 9 remained completely submerged in water, affecting traffic.
Army evacuates 50 civilians and 910 students
Multiple rescue operations were conducted by the Indian Army, resulting in the evacuation of 50 civilians and 910 students from Chitkara University to secure locations. Videos that emerged from the university showed students perched atop tables as water entered the canteen.
As per the Western Command, upon receiving the requisition for rescue and relief measures from Punjab and Haryana, the flood relief recce party from the Western Command swiftly deployed to the affected regions of Mohali, Panchkula, and Ropar. According to a statement issued by Western Command, the Army is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the civil administration and all stakeholders.
4 hurt in house collapse in Chapar Chiri
Four persons were injured as a single-storey house collapsed in Chapar Chiri village. They were rushed to the civil hospital, where their condition is said to be stable. Three other houses, in Kharar’s Dau village, also collapsed but a major tragedy was averted as the occupants of the house were in Dharamshala at the time.
Fire in Emaar Housing society
Incessant rain and consequent waterlogging caused a short-circuit in the basement of Emaar housing society in Sector 105, which left seven cars and two motorcycles gutted. Fire teams rushed to the spot and managed to control the flames from spreading further.
200 houses in Sector-71 flooded
Over 200 houses in Sector-71, Mohali, continues to remain inundated with two to three-ft water. Senior deputy Mayor Amrik Singh Somal blamed the GMADA for elevating the level of Airport Road, thus blocking the natural flow of water. A similar situation prevailed in Shivalik Enclave in Zirakpur where water entered the houses. Gulmohar Society in Derabassi continued to remain submerged under water for the second consecutive day and NDRF teams rescued more people here with the help of boats. Residents of Jamuna Apartment and Desu Majra in Kharar also battled with waterlogging.
Out of power for 70 hrs in Aerocity, TDI City
Residents of Kharar, Zirakpur, Derabassi and localities in Mohali, particularly Sector-71, suffered from prolonged power outages. Residents complained that the power supply has been snapped for over 70 hours. Residents also said they were short of potable water, and were forced to buy packaged water from the market for domestic use.
70 stranded people rescued
Meanwhile, 70 people stranded in Jujhar Nagar were shifted to the zila parishad building, while NDRF rescued 45 people from Rurka village and shifted them to a gurdwara. Mohali deputy commissioner Aashika Jain, who was on a whirlwind tour of the district said, “In all, 2,170 people have been rescued and shifted to safer places. While 1,200 people are taking shelter in a gurdwara in Dhakoli, Zirakpur, 400 people have been kept at Phase 11 in Mohali, 250 people have taken shelter in rain basera in Phase 6, 150 people are currently taking refuge in Jashan Palace in Lalru on Ambala-Delhi Highway, and 100 residents of Rurka village are at a shelter in the village. Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha visited Derabassi and distributed food, milk and other essential supplies among people.
CM on whirlwind tour of Mohali
Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann also conducted a whirlwind tour of the rain-affected areas in Mohali district and interacted with people evacuated from low-lying areas in the aftermath of heavy downpour of rain. The CM, who visited the Rain Basera in Phase VI, Jamuna Apartments Kharar, Kajauli, Boothgarh and others, said the situation is alarming but still the state government is making all efforts to minimise the loss of people. The CM also said he had a word with the Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday during which he apprised him about the entire situation in the state.
Ghaggar in spate, spells doom all over
Panchkula irrigation department officials said that Ghaggar is flowing at 3.25 meters (10.66-ft) above the danger mark near Majri bridge in Panchkula while at places, it is flowing at 60.96 meters (200 feet) above the danger mark, increasing the fear of flooding in low-lying areas. The swollen river has already damaged the road between Surajpur to Amarwati.
Road to Mansa Devi disrupted
The road to Mansa Devi, near the police commissioner’s office, was swept away, leading to a traffic disruption. Water from the Ghaggar entered several places, including the Herbal park in Sector 25 and 26 owing to which the caretakers of the park were evacuated. Water from Ghaggar was also seen flooding the roads of Sector 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, Panchkula. Ghaggar damaged a road in Rajjipur in Kalka. The teams, however, managed to divert the flow of the river to the save Rajjipur village.
Roads to Baddi blocked
Due to a cave-in on the bridge connecting Pinjore-Nalagarh, all the roads leading from Pinjore, Panchkula, to Baddi in Himachal have been closed. “An alternate route will be made functional, while the main bridge is estimated to be ready within the next two days,” shared Panchkula DC, Priyanaka Soni.
Part of bridge collapses
A part of the bridge towards entrance of Amravati Enclave caved in on Monday night. This bridge connected Amravati Enclave that houses a number of societies and housing colonies, to the main Shimla Panchkula highway. Meanwhile district administration provides relief to flood-affected people in Rampur Siudi village. A total of 1000 food packets have been distributed to those affected by the floods, ensuring that their immediate needs are met. 50 families from the village of Dhaluwal, whose houses were washed away in the heavy rains, have been rehabilitated to White House in Pinjore. This step has been taken to provide shelter and support to those who have been rendered homeless due to the rain-induced disaster.
Water enters houses in Indira colony, Rajiv colony
Water of a nullah entered the houses in Indira colony and Rajiv colony. Taking stock of situation, Haryana assembly speaker Gian Chand Gupta instructed HSVP officials to install fencing and pillars along the nullah.
Power disruptions in P’kula
Owing to swelling Ghaggar and release of water from Kaushalya dam, three feeders on road connecting Mullah to highway were swept away. Owing to which power was disrupted in Mullah, Himshikhash Ganeshpur Bhoria, Chikan, Islam Nagar, Nandpur, Kedarpur, CRPF camp. Managing director of Uttar Haryana Bijali Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), Saket Kumar, said efforts are on to restore power supply at the earliest. In case of emergency residents can call on 1912
Rains paints an ugly picture of City Beautiful
Chandigarh residents continued to live in misery for the third consecutive day as besides peripheries, city sectors were also inundated due to heavy rain, resulting in traffic jams, felling of trees and cave-in of roads. The low-lying sectors of the city, including Sector 35, 36, 37, 38, 38-W, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 among others were badly affected as rainwater entered inside the houses of the residents.
“Knee deep water was logged across the area and water even entered houses due to choked sewerage and road gullies. A situation like this, although, is a natural fury which is beyond the control of authorities but it is the duty of authorities to clean sewerage and gullies so that water logging is resolved. The encroachment on V6 road is also one of reasons for flooding as some of the residents covered road gullies,” said MS Rawat, chairman, LIG EWS, RWA Sector 40 C.
Amarjeet Singh, a resident of Sector 38 C, said, “Water has entered our homes and there is complete chaos on the ground floor. Most of the kitchen products and furniture are inundated in water and water is even entering our cupboards.”
Water also entered the houses on the Panjab University Campus.
The situation was even worse in the city’s periphery. After Sukhna Lake floodgates were opened, water choked the Bapu Dham area near Sector 26. A similar situation was witnessed in Kishangarh, Manimajra and Maloya where low-lying bridges overflowed, thus resulting in waterlogging at main roads.
Garbage dump wall collapse
In Dadumajra, another boundary wall of a garbage dump collapsed on Monday and leachate from the garbage dump entered into the houses along with the rain water. Area councillor Kuldeep Dhalor said, “The smelly and chemical-rich water is entering houses of people who are finding no solution to this misery. This will invite health problems to the area residents for sure.” Due to continuous rainfall, the water level of Dhanas Lake has increased and water is overflowing on the road leading from Dhanas towards Sector 14/25 T-point.
Potholes/cave-ins/trees
Earth near diving road of 29/30 caved in, causing inconvenience of people. Meanwhile, potholes have occurred on the roads at Sector 34/35 dividing road Sector-34 side near Piccadilly Chowk, Colony no 4 light point, Industrial Area Phase-1, Sector 28/29 dividing road and Dhanas light point.
Road on both sides of Kishangarh village bridge, road from both sides on Shastri Nagar bridge, road from both sides of Bridge near CTU workshop and Garcha turn Light point and road from both sides of bridge on Village Makhan majra towards Zirakpur side are closed for traffic.
In Sector 9, due to the heavy rain on Monday morning one of the eucualyptus trees outside the Punjab police headquarters fell down on a Corolla car. Nipun Mital, who lives there, said the car was parked at home and they had no inkling that the tree would damage their vehicle this way. “Just down the road the administration has removed all the eucalyptus trees outside the new secretariat building citing safety concerns, then why have these trees been ignored?” he added.
Another big tree fell in Sector 17 in front of Parade Ground. The police and the MC had to divert traffic to remove the tree.
Electricity box sparking in Sector 15 was also witnessed.
A puppy was rescued from Patiala Ki Rao at Khuda Lohra Bridge, by the team of fire department and Chandigarh police.
