Zirakpur suffers in absence of stormwater drainage

The absence of a robust drainage system and dependency on natural drains is clearly pointed out in the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority’s Zirakpur master plan for 2031

Even though Zirakpur is a town with a population of nearly four lakh and at least 100 high-rise group housing societies along with 40 commercial establishments, it has no stormwater drainage system and is entirely dependent on choes and nullahs to drain out the excess rainwater.

Every year during monsoons, residents of Zirakpur bear the brunt as they wade through waterlogged streets and drain out water from their shops and houses. (HT file photo)

Every year during monsoons, residents of Zirakpur bear the brunt as they wade through waterlogged streets and drain out water from their shops and houses.

The absence of a robust drainage system and dependency on natural drains is clearly pointed out in the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority’s (PUDA’s) Zirakpur master plan for 2031.

In several areas, however, these drains and choes have been encroached upon — another consequence of Zirakpur’s exponential and unplanned growth. “The town has witnessed 281.9% growth between 2001 and 2011 Census,” the master plan mentioned.

A former executive engineer of the Zirakpur civic body said, “It is the result of haphazard construction and lack of rainwater drainage system. There is no separate arrangement for the disposal of rainwater. Excessive laying of paver blocks and incomplete construction work is also causing water to accumulate.”

As per Girish Verma, executive officer of Zirakpur MC, the town is old and there is no stormwater drainage system. “It is a low-lying area, but we are working to fix the problem,” he added.

‘An island of chaos’

Joint action committee president Sukhdev Chaudhary, who is leading a campaign against illegal colonies, said, “The township, which is considered the gateway to Punjab, is an island of chaos surrounded by planned cities of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali. Growth in the town has been haphazard with villages giving way to colonies, mostly illegal, and property dealers and realtors tapping into the need for modest housing for those less privileged.”

As external and internal development charges, the civic body collects ₹1 crore per acre from the residential group housing societies and ₹1.35 crore from the commercial establishments.

Harish Gupta, president of Zirakpur Builders Association, said Zirakpur’s civic body is considered one of the richest in Punjab and has around ₹200 crore with it to develop infrastructure. “But they completely failed to build a proper drainage system. The only area that is safe from waterlogging is a high-ground terrain and the rest of the town is settled in low-lying areas,” he added.

On the poor management of rainwater drainage, MS Aujla, former director, Punjab local government’s town planning department, said it was not only the drainage, but the consideration of topography to allow natural passages for the flow of rainwater towards choes or nullahs. “The situation is further aggravated by the construction of roads crisscrossing the natural flow of water as per the terrain,” he added.