Panchkula: Rainfall over the past 24 hours led to severe waterlogging in several low-lying areas of Panchkula, causing disruption to traffic, inconvenience to residents, and partial flooding in markets and residential colonies on Monday.Among the worst-affected areas were Sector-19 residential area, Sector 19 underbridge, Sector-20 market area, Sectors 14 and 15’s Parshuram Chowk, Industrial Area Phase 1 and 2, and other low-lying areas. Residents reported waist-deep water in some parts, with vehicles struggling to move through flooded roads. Several shops in market areas had water seeping in, while pedestrians waded through waterlogged streets.The Sector-20 market remained heavily inundated through the morning, with shopkeepers and visitors suffering. Similarly, residential pockets in Sector-14/15 faced repeated drainage issues, with basements and parking areas filling up due to poor runoff. Locals blamed the situation on poor pre-monsoon preparation by municipal authorities. According to residents, many road gullies were not cleaned properly, while some were damaged or non-functional, preventing proper drainage.“This happens every year, and the administration is never prepared. Drains are choked, and water has no place to go. Besides, there needs to be an upgrade of stormwater pipelines,” said S K Nayar, president, Citizens Welfare Association.In Industrial Area Phase 1 and 2, rainwater accumulated in internal lanes and factory driveways, affecting daily operations. Employees had a tough time navigating waterlogged entrances. While the rains brought relief from heat, they also exposed the civic shortcomings in drainage infrastructure. Officials said efforts were under way to clear waterlogged areas and restore normalcy.With more rain forecast in the coming days, residents have demanded urgent cleaning and repair of drainage systems to prevent a repeat of Monday’s chaos.MSID:: 122819491 413 |
