Noida/Ghaziabad: Moderate to heavy showers on Monday led to waterlogging across parts of Noida and Ghaziabad, particularly in villages near urban sectors, where flooded roads and the foul smell of clogged sewers were common.Among the worst-affected areas in Noida were Garhi Chaukhandi (Sector 68), Behlolpur (Sector 63) and Sarfabad. Rural belts bore the brunt of the rain more than urban areas, but the disruption had a cascading effect on the cities as well — in Ghaziabad, rain slowed vehicular movement on key roads, including NH-9, catching commuters during peak hours, though waterlogging there was not as acute except at a few spots.In Garhi Chaukhandi, resident Bhola Thakur said the village road turns into a pond with every spell of rain. Waterlogging on Monday was especially severe in Lane No. 1 near Krishna Inter College, where accumulated water made commuting difficult for residents. “We face significant inconvenience due to the waterlogging. There is also the risk of accidents and infections,” Thakur said, adding that waterlogging recurs in the area after every rainfall with no permanent solution yet implemented.Behlolpur resident Sonu Yadav said water accumulated on Pusta Road. “People have encroached both sides and extended their ramps outward. Due to this, there is a risk of electric shock, as there are iron poles on the road,” Yadav said.Residents of Sarfabad village near Sector 73 also complained of waterlogged roads after the showers, along with a foul smell from clogged sewers that posed a health hazard. “No cleaning of the sewers and drains have been done here. The water floods the road as a result after every shower,” a village resident said.Ghaziabad’s Loni also remained waterlogged. The worst-hit spots were Banthla flyover and Delhi-Saharanpur Road, where an auto-rickshaw overturned in the floodwater. The driver lost control after the vehicle hit a pothole while navigating the stretch, causing it to lose balance and flip. People at the spot pulled out the driver and passengers, who were injured.A senior police officer said a police team reached the spot after being alerted and confirmed that no one was seriously injured.Several sectors in Vaishali were also waterlogged. Residents said the problem was particularly severe in low-lying stretches, where even a short spell of rain leaves roads inundated. Saneet Kumar (25), a resident of Ramprastha Greens, said the route from Shopprix Mall towards Mahagun Mall was flooded for hours.“Year after year, the problem remains the same. Even if it rains for just 30 minutes, the roads get flooded. Walking is also a problem because there is hardly any space,” he said.
