Over a week after strong winds and rain lashed the tricity, broken branches and uprooted trees continue to lie along the roadside stretches of Airport Road, drawing concern from daily commuters. While debris has largely been cleared from the main carriageway, branches remain scattered along service lanes, green belts, and footpaths.
Commuters say while the situation has not caused major traffic jams, it has reduced road width at certain points and created inconvenience, especially for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. “Vehicles are moving, but the branches on the side make it difficult to walk or stop safely,” said Rashmita, a daily commuter to Mohali. Another motorist added, “At night, the debris is not always clearly visible, which is risky for bikers.”
The storm had triggered widespread power disruptions across Mohali and adjoining areas, forcing civic teams to prioritise emergency restoration work. Municipal officials said fallen trees had brought down electricity lines at multiple locations, posing safety risks.
Responding to the concerns, municipal corporation commissioner Parminder Pal Singh said clearance work is ongoing, with delays attributed to multiple challenges faced after the storm. “Our teams are working round the clock to restore normalcy. Immediately after the storm, our primary focus was on handling snapped power lines and fallen wires to prevent accidents and restore electricity supply,” he said, adding that manpower constraints affected the pace of clearance.
“At the same time, a section of sanitation workers was on strike, which impacted routine debris removal. Despite this, clearance of remaining tree branches is being taken up in a phased manner,” the commissioner said.
{{/usCountry}}“At the same time, a section of sanitation workers was on strike, which impacted routine debris removal. Despite this, clearance of remaining tree branches is being taken up in a phased manner,” the commissioner said.
{{/usCountry}}Civic officials assured that the remaining debris would be removed once power-related hazards are fully addressed and adequate workforce is available. They appealed to residents to cooperate during the clean-up process, reiterating that priority areas are being attended to.