The municipal corporation (MC) has re-opened the old open drain near Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib, that was blocked for over two decades, to ensure relief from water logging on GT Road near Dholewal Chowk, Millerganj, Gill Road, and adjoining areas.
Through this drain, the rain water will get into Ganda nullah in Fieldganj area through a natural slope, from where it will be dumped into Buddha Nullah.
Mayor Balkar Sandhu, senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra, area councillor (ward number 51) Amrit Kaur’s husband Iqbal Singh along with the MC officials inspected the ongoing work on Tuesday.
As per information, the drain was closed in 1998 after the MC had established a disposal point near Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib. Instead of the natural slope, the water was drained into the Ganda nullah through pumps but due to the low capacity of the disposal point, the rain water now accumulates at old GT road, Dholewal chowk, Gill Road and adjoining areas.
Iqbal Singh said that the width of the sewer line through which the water was currently drained into the Ganda nullah was 36 inches, but the old natural drain had more capacity as it is 3 feet wide and 7 feet deep. Around 100 tippers of waste have been pulled out of the blocked drain and the nullah is almost clean now. Special permission was sought from the railway department as the nullah runs below the rail lines near the Manjit Nagar railway shed.
“Residents apprised me of the blocked drain. Mayor Sandhu conducted a meeting with the railway department following which the drain was opened. It is expected that the rain water, which used to get accumulated for around 7-8 hours after rainfall will be drained out in an hour or two,” said Singh.
{{/usCountry}}“Residents apprised me of the blocked drain. Mayor Sandhu conducted a meeting with the railway department following which the drain was opened. It is expected that the rain water, which used to get accumulated for around 7-8 hours after rainfall will be drained out in an hour or two,” said Singh.
{{/usCountry}}Mayor Sandhu said the movement of traffic is also hit due to rain water accumulation in the area. We are working to clean all the old natural drains of the city including Talab Bazar drain, which moves through different parts of the Old City area, to deal with water logging during the monsoon season.
Mayor Sandhu and councillor Rakesh Prashar, among others, also inspected the ongoing work of installation of the storm sewer line from Rekhi Cinema Chowk to the Clock Tower. He said that the work will be completed by June 30. Shopkeepers and commuters are facing a lot of trouble as the road portion has been dug up at different points for installation of the sewer lines.