Monsoon exposes lack of adequate preparedness by VMC
The nearly two-hour downpour turned almost all roads into mini swimming pools, as rainwater and overflow from drain canals inundated roads and low-lying areas with ankle- to knee-deep water. This raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the nearly 5 crore worth of desilting works carried out by the civic body across major, medium, and minor drain canals under the city's monsoon action plan.
The city has approximately 1,183 kilometres of drain canals network, out of which 826.24 kilometres are minor drains, 275.42 kilometres are medium, and 82.54 kilometres are major drain canals.
The civic body claimed that as part of its monsoon action plan, it completed desilting of all drain canals at a cost of 5 crore before the onset of the monsoon season.
"More rainfall in a short time period is worsening the water inundation situation on the low-lying roads. On Sunday evening, the city experienced a cloudburst kind of phenomenon with a huge quantity of rainfall lashing the city in a short period. While Vijayawada drains are equipped to handle steady moderate rains, strong intensity rains in a short period lead to overflowing drains, requiring 30 to 60 minutes, depending upon the areas, after the rainfall recedes for drain canals to get cleared and accommodate the free flow of the rainwater," VMC superintendent engineer (works) P Satyanarayana told TOI.
by Taboola
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As per the district administration records, the district received a total of 420.8 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Monday, with Vijayawada Rural mandal receiving the highest of 68.8 mm, followed by Vijayawada North and East Mandals at 51.2 mm and 51 mm, wherein all four urban Mandals in the city crossed 50 mm rainfall.
"Despite carrying out desilting works, the floating garbage in drains and waste accumulated at drain culverts are turning out to be major obstacles and preventing the free flow of rainwater in drain canals, leading to their overflowing and causing water stagnation on roads," the VMC official added.
The official explained that the waterlogging is more severe on Eluru Road as rainwater from hilly areas such as Gangireddula Dibba, Gunadala, and other areas gushes down with great force and speed downstream. "We have robust water motors and water suction motors which are being deployed quickly after the receding of the rainfall to clear and drain out stagnated water," the official added.
"The civic body should make desilting of drain canals, medium and major drain canals, a regular exercise as plastic and other waste particles are dumped on a regular basis into these canals by irresponsible citizens, which choke the drains and spell out problems during rains," Jwytha, a resident of Krishna Lanka, said.
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