Ludhiana: The season’s first significant spell of rain put the MC’s claims of monsoon preparedness to the test, with waterlogging reported from several parts of Ludhiana on Thursday morning. While civic officials maintained that most of the accumulated rainwater was cleared within hours, residents complained of inundated roads and disruption to daily life.The rain began on Wednesday night and varied in intensity across different parts of the city. While some areas witnessed heavy showers, others received light rainfall. By Thursday morning, several roads and low-lying stretches were submerged, making commuting difficult, particularly for schoolchildren and office-goers.Residents reported waterlogging in Sherpur, Samrala Chowk, Chandigarh Road, Hambran Road, Haibowal Dairy Complex, Panj Peer Road, Model Town Extension, Dugri, the railway underbridge on Pakhowal Road, and the underpasses near Verka and Lodhi Club.People travelling during the morning rush hour had to wade through waterlogged roads. The problem was more pronounced in low-lying areas, where water remained accumulated for several hours after the rain stopped.Paramjit Singh, a resident of Haibowal Dairy Complex, said the area was badly affected. “The entire complex was submerged in rainwater. It was difficult to reach the farms in the morning and attend to cattle. There was nearly 1.5 feet water in one of the farms where pregnant animals had been kept. We had to drain the water out before the cattle could get some relief,” he said.He added that residents of Panj Peer Road faced similar conditions and were forced to negotiate waterlogged streets.Commuters using the railway underbridge on Pakhowal Road also faced difficulties. Harsh Sharma, who passed through the area on Thursday morning, said the stretch remains a major problem during rains.“There was a lot of water inside the railway underbridge. For two-wheeler riders, crossing it was a challenge as passing vehicles splashed dirty water. Despite repeated complaints, authorities have not been able to find a permanent solution to waterlogging at such locations,” he said.MC officials said teams were deployed as soon as rainfall began. A senior official said field staff worked all night to ensure quick drainage.“Our teams remained on the ground through the night. By morning, water had been drained from most of the affected areas. Only those localities where there is no proper outlet for drainage faced a longer delay,” the official said.Meanwhile, the civic body has operationalised a Monsoon War Room for live monitoring and quicker response to complaints during the rainy season. The facility has been set up at the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in MC Zone D office at Sarabha Nagar.Local bodies minister Harjot Singh Bains inspected the war room on Thursday. Through the ICCC, officials can monitor conditions across the city using around 1,700 CCTV cameras installed at various locations. However, the civic body is yet to announce a dedicated helpline number through which residents can lodge rain-related complaints.The rainfall also triggered political criticism. At Giaspura, the Mini Rose Garden remained submerged after the showers, resembling a water body. BJP leader Gurdeep Singh Gosha took a swipe at the ruling party, sarcastically saying that the MC had created a lake and off-roading tracks within the city, saving residents the expense of travelling elsewhere. He also mockingly invited local ruling party leaders to inaugurate the sites.
