Heavy morning rain throws traffic out of gear in Noida

Severe waterlogging was also reported from Botanical Garden, The Great India Place, Sectors 96, 95, 94, 44, 63, 27, 21 and the Atta underpass. The waterlogging at Atta underpass affected traffic from the elevated road towards Delhi, said traffic police

Heavy morning rain on Wednesday brought Noida residents a much needed respite from the rising humidity of the past few days and also affected traffic flow after several areas in the city became waterlogged.

A car wades through a heavily waterlogged stretch in Sector 44, Noida, on Wednesday morning. (SUnil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Noida traffic police officers said the traffic was affected only briefly after it rained heavily for around one-and-a-half-hours from 6am to 8.30am.They said the situation could have been worse had the rain continued even after 8.30am, when rush hour begins in the city.

The Noida authority has installed motor pump to flush out water from several key junctions such as Dalit Prerna Sthal, Bird Feeding Point, and DND Flyway loop, among others.

Severe waterlogging was also reported from Botanical Garden, The Great India Place, Sectors 96, 95, 94, 44, 63, 27, 21 and the Atta underpass. The waterlogging at Atta underpass affected traffic from the elevated road towards Delhi, said traffic police.

The Noida authority issued a helpline number -- 0120 2423795 -- to report waterlogging related complaints. “The control room had received two complaints so far -- from Sector 41 and City Centre,” said an official manning the control room.

“We have sent additional force to those points from where traffic congestion due to waterlogging was reported on Wednesday morning. Our personnel cleared congestion from many places, including Dalit Prerna Sthal, bird feeding point, and Botanical Garden,” said Shailendra Singh, inspector, Noida traffic police, adding that the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway was not affected.

“As the rain stopped before rush hour, major congestion was not reported from anywhere in Noida,” said Singh.

RP Singh, deputy general manager, water and sewer department, Noida authority, said, “Water motors across various locations in Noida are effectively preventing waterlogging by continuously draining water.”

“Severe waterlogging was reported from the Sector 62 industrial area. A team was dispatched there on Wednesday morning to address the issue, and the civil department is also asked to align road levels with the drainage system,” he said, adding that people in the area have covered drains, preventing sanitation workers from clearing the drain.