Two hours of rain leaves several parts of Noida waterlogged

Waterlogging was reported from places including the Botanical Garden, Dalit Prerna Sthal, outside The Great India Place mall, Bird Feeding Point, besides places in Sectors 96, 95, 76, 62, 50, 27 and 19

Two hours of incessant rain on Friday morning left key junctions waterlogged in Noida, forcing commuters and vehicles to navigate through knee-deep water in most areas.

The Noida traffic police also identified waterlogging hot spots in Noida and Greater Noida and wrote to the departments concerned to take cognisance before the situation exacerbates in the upcoming monsoon. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Waterlogging was reported from various places, including the Botanical Garden, Dalit Prerna Sthal, outside The Great India Place mall, Bird Feeding Point, besides places in Sectors 96, 95, 76, 62, 50, 27 and 19. Traffic snarl was observed after the divider grille near Sector 16 Metro station collapsed on the main road following hours-long rain, causing traffic snarls.

Residents complained about the waterlogging and snarls. Several people took to social media to share how they were forced to navigate through knee-deep water.

“On Friday around 8am, when I left home for my office in Delhi, I encountered waterlogging at multiple places in Noida. Dalit Prerna Sthal was completely waterlogged, and a divider grille of around 200 metres near Sector 16 Metro station also collapsed,”said Brajesh Sharma, a resident of Sector XX.

Barely two hours of rain exposed the insufficiency of the drainage system in the city, said Amit Gupta, a resident of Sector 77.

“Main roads of Sector 76-50, outside my society, was completely waterlogged within an hour of rain. The departments concerned should have taken measures before the monsoon arrives. They should rectify the fault in the drainage system that causes waterlogging,” he said.

On Friday, the Noida traffic police also identified waterlogging hot spots in Noida and Greater Noida and wrote to the departments concerned to take cognisance before the situation exacerbates in the upcoming monsoon and create traffic congestion.

Noida traffic police’s office in Sector 14 A was also waterlogged till 10pm.

“Owing tot he lack of a proper drainage system inside the campus of the traffic police office, waterlogging is reported from the premises every year. Rainwater from Sector 14 A main road accumulates on the campus. The office premises was waterlogged till 2pm,” said a traffic police officer, asking not to be named.

“We have deployed additional traffic police forces to clear the traffic in waterlogged areas. On Friday morning, the traffic was smooth as rain stopped before the peak hour traffic began,” said a second traffic police officer.

“We have identified 19 hot spots in Noida and Greater Noida where waterlogging has been reported and led to traffic congestion. A letter was also issued in this regard and sent to departments concerned to clear the drainage as soon as possible,” said Anil Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police, traffic.

“A sumpwell has been created at the Dalit Prerna Sthal and multiple points where waterlogging was being reported,” said a Noida authority official, adding that the civil department is responsible for clearing drainage and it has been asked to do so on priority.