Waterlogging on several key roads following Saturday morning’s rain has raised concerns over Ludhiana’s preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season, with water remaining accumulated in several areas hours after the showers had ended.
Areas including Model Town, Sarabha Nagar, Bhai Randheer Singh Nagar, Gill Road and Dholewal Chowk witnessed severe waterlogging after a few hours of rain, disrupting traffic and highlighting persistent drainage issues across the city.
The incident comes at a time when the district administration and the municipal corporation (MC) are undertaking measures to prevent flooding and waterlogging during the monsoon. However, Saturday’s rainfall exposed the vulnerability of several city roads to even moderate showers.
Activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira of the Public Action Committee (PAC), who has repeatedly raised concerns over waterlogging and urban flooding in the city, attributed the problem to the absence of a dedicated storm sewer network. “We have been urging the municipal corporation to develop a proper storm sewer system to ensure quick drainage of rainwater.
The existing sewer network is not designed to handle large volumes of rainwater. As a result, it gets overwhelmed or blocked during heavy showers, leading to water accumulation on roads,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The existing sewer network is not designed to handle large volumes of rainwater. As a result, it gets overwhelmed or blocked during heavy showers, leading to water accumulation on roads,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Another factor contributing to the problem, according to activist Arvind Sharma, is the large-scale road excavation carried out in recent months for the water supply project and road reconstruction works. “Whenever roads are dug up, roadside drains are often damaged or clogged with debris.
While roads are eventually repaired or blacktopped, drains are not always properly restored or cleaned. In some cases, the road gradient is also altered, affecting the natural flow of water and resulting in waterlogging,” Sharma said.
Residents said water remained accumulated at several locations long after the rain had stopped, indicating shortcomings in the city’s drainage system ahead of the monsoon season.
MC commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comment on the civic body’s plans to tackle waterlogging and flooding during the upcoming monsoon.