Jalandhar: Heavy rains disrupt life, MC’s negligence exposed

Jalandhar: A heavy downpour for a few hours on Saturday morning brought Jalandhar to a standstill, causing widespread waterlogging and traffic disruptions across the city. The deluge highlighted the lack of preparedness of the local municipal corporation (MC), sparking frustration among residents.

Rainwater inundated several low-lying areas, posh localities, and major roads, forcing residents to wade through submerged streets. Motorists struggled as waterlogged roads and scattered potholes, compounded by flowing garbage, made navigation challenging.

Key locations, including the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Model Town, Lamma Pind Chowk, Damoria Underbridge, Transport Nagar, Nakodar Chowk, Kapurthala Chowk, Pathankot Bypass Chowk, and Ladowali Road, were particularly hard hit.

The chaos left commuters stranded and delayed their arrival at respective destinations, while at some places residents battled to keep rainwater out of their homes.

The most affected areas included Jalandhar West and North, especially the neighbourhoods within Ward No. 74, Har Gobind Nagar, and Transport Nagar. Residents in these areas reported that the rain exacerbated existing problems with road conditions and sewer systems, leading to dirty water entering their homes.

Voicing her frustration, Shivani Sharma, a resident of Har Gobind Nagar, said, “The streets have been inundated for the past 15 days due to overflowing sewers. Now, with rain, water has entered our homes. Despite numerous complaints to the municipal corporation, nothing has been done.”

Other residents echoed similar sentiments, criticising the municipal corporation for its inaction. They noted that during by-elections, the MC was attentive to even minor issues, but now their complaints about sewerage problems and contaminated water supply go unaddressed.

Industrialists in Transport Nagar also faced difficulties, with the approach road becoming muddy and impassable. Long traffic jams at prominent intersections further compounded the woes of residents.

Angry residents took to social media to express their displeasure, with many blaming the municipal corporation for the persistent waterlogging issues.

“This is not a new problem during rain. The municipal corporation and the administration need to address choked sewers issues promptly,” Mohit, a local resident, said, while adding that just two hours of heavy rain had once again exposed tall claims of the government, underscoring the urgent need for improvement in infrastructure and better preparedness by the city’s civic authorities.