Sunday morning rain turns Z'pur-Patiala road into a river
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Mohali: A spell of heavy rain on Sunday morning exposed the glaring inadequacies in Zirakpur's drainage infrastructure, as the Zirakpur-Patiala road was left waterlogged and nearly impassable for hours.
The flooding, which caused major traffic disruptions and left pedestrians struggling, has been attributed to unplanned construction and encroachments on natural drainage routes.
The downpour led to severe water accumulation on the busy road stretch, effectively turning parts of it into a temporary river. Commuters faced immense hardship as vehicles stalled in knee-deep water, and pedestrians were forced to wade through the flooded roadway.
While the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had earlier installed large drainage pipes on both sides of the road — from Patiala Chowk to Gurdwara Nabha Sahib — to channel rainwater into a nearby natural stream, the effort has been undermined by unregulated construction activities.
Landowners in the area had sold their fields to private builders, who in turn erected concrete boundary walls that blocked the flow of water into the stream, leading to stagnation on the roads during rains.
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"This is not the first time the area has flooded. The lack of proper drainage and unchecked construction on natural drains is the main reason. Despite previous complaints, no permanent solution has been implemented," said a local resident. Urban planners and environmentalists have long warned against building over natural water channels, but enforcement remains weak. Sunday's incident has once again triggered demands from residents for immediate government intervention.
"This situation is both avoidable and unacceptable," said another resident. "Authorities must act against encroachments on drains and plan a proper drainage system before the next rain brings the city to a standstill again." Civic authorities have been urged to conduct a detailed survey of the affected area, identify the obstructions to natural water flow, and demolish illegal walls or structures built over water channels.
With the monsoon season still underway, residents fear further disruptions if the matter is not urgently addressed. MSID:: 123077563 413 |
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