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Royal City’s rain pain: Patiala roads flooded, commuters bear the brunt
The meteorological (MeT) department has recorded 18.3mm rainfall on Saturday
Heavy showers, coupled with hailstorms left the city roads in an inundated state on Saturday. As a result, the commuters were left hassled.
The meteorological (MeT) department has recorded 18.3mm rainfall on Saturday. The MeT department officials have predicted more rain in the coming days. “At least 98.6mm rainfall has been recorded in the month of March so far,” an official said.
The inundated roads exposed the ill preparedness of the Patiala municipal corporation (MC) and the district administration in tackling the issue of waterlogging on the city roads.
From market areas to residential localities, residents were left hassled and stranded as the civic body authorities are unable to control the situation. The Sabzi Mandi area, Book Market, Gurbaksh Colony, Mansahian Colony, Sant Nagar, Mohindra Colony, Arna Barna Chowk, Anardana Chowk, Raghomajra, Dhakka Colony, Khalsa Mohalla, Samania Gate, Old Scrape Market, Mathura Colony, Sanuri Adda, Tripari, Anand Nagra, DMW Road, SST Nagar, Guru Nanak Nagar, B-Tank Road, Jhujhar Nagar, Government TB Hospital, bus stand and railway station and the nearby areas were waterlogged.
Shopkeepers had a harrowing time saving their goods from rainwater. The Government TB (tuberculosis) Hospital, near Mall Road in Patiala, and the bus stand area were submerged, leading to difficulties for patients and visitors. Choking sewer lines further added to the worries of the residents.
Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Patiala Model Town, questioned the MC’s preparedness. “What’s the use of spending crores on cleanliness of the city’s drainage system if there is no respite from waterlogging?”
The resident added that the municipal corporation had recently laid interlocking tiles in many areas across city and yet no provisions were made for water drainage.
Another resident Ajaydeep Singh said that the departments concerned have failed to take serious note of the issue of waterlogging. “It seems like a better plan to make one’s own arrangements than to rely on the authorities,” he added.
Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu said that waterlogging is not a new problem in the city but the MC has managed to tackle the problem to a great extent.
“The roads flooded with water due to heavy rain. But the water drained out in an hour from when the rain stopped,” the mayor said.
EIGHT INJURED AS PRTC BUS OVERTURNS IN SAMANA
Eight people were injured as the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus they were travelling in overturned on Samana-Patiala road near Chohat village in Samana block, on Saturday.
Police said, the incident took place around 11.30am, when the PRTC bus of Kapurthala depot carrying 30 passengers overturned near Chohat village in Samana. The bus was heading towards Patiala.
All the injured were rushed to Samana civil hospital, from there two of them were reffered to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, where they are said to be in stable condition now.
“The bus was over speed and after rain, the roads were slippery too. The bus overturned when it reached near Chohat village,” said inspector Ranbir Singh, station house officer (SHO), Sadar Samana police station.
No case has been registered so far, as none of the injured has lodged any complaint in the incident, the SHO added.
POTHOLES, MUDDY ROADS OF GMC IRK STUDENTS, DOCTORS
Potholes and muddy inner-connecting roads of the Government Medical College (GMC) , Patiala, have turned a nightmare for the students and doctors of the college.
Students of the college say the commuters have to face tough time dodging the potholes and the situation becomes worst during the rainy days.
“These roads are in pity condition from last four years and are getting worse day-by-day. Despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done so far to repair these roads,” one of the MBBS student said.
“It is very difficult and risky to commute on these roads, especially the roads that connect hostels to the college. It is the government’s duty to provide basic infrastructure to us,” another college student said.
“Students, who stay in hostels, hesitate to go to college during rainy days. In the last few days, three female postgraduate doctors got injured after their two-wheelers slipped on these roads and they had to be hospitalised,” he added.
A senior resident at Rajindra Hospital said, “We have met the college principal several times, but nothing has been done so far.”
Dr Harjinder Singh, principal of the college said, “I am aware of roads’ situation. The government has already sanctioned money for the repair work. The roads have to be repaired by the Public Works Department (PWD). The officials of PWD have informed us that they are waiting for the clear sky to start the work.”
“We have just finished the work of laying sewage pipeline on the road that connects hostel to the college. We were waiting for the mud to settle down for proper levelling of the road. We will start the construction of roads soon,” PWD executive engineer Sohan Lal Garg said.
