GUJRAT: The city witnessed massive urban flooding due to its faulty sewerage and drainage system after a heavy rain lashed it on Monday, paralysing the routine life.

The Met Office recorded at least 103mm rain in Gujrat that caused havoc in the city. Almost all the main roads and streets remained submerged with the rainwater even 12 hours after the rain stopped. The rainfall had started in the early hours of Monday.

The people were stranded in their homes due to the streets inundated with rainwater, which also entered hundreds of houses in various parts of the city. The Rehman Shaheed Road, Jinnah Road, Court Road, Bhimbher Road, Jail Chowk, Jalalpur Jattan Road, Circular Road, Railway Road and Sargodha Road were flooded.

The locals said they had been witnessing urban flooding for the last couple of decades and its severity was increasing with each year. However, they added, the Monday’s rain was the first heavy rain of this monsoon and it brought about more issues compared to previous years as the ratio of the residential areas flooded by rainwater had increased.

They complained against the local administration and municipal corporation also, saying they had shown negligence by not cleaning the drains timely despite many requests by the various segments of society. But the administration did not pay heed to these requests, which worsened the situation after the rain.

Moreover, the crucial scheme of stormwater pipeline between Jail Chowk to Hailsey stormwater channel, which could resolve water disposal issue, was not completed on time. Despite lofty claims of the authorities concerned to get it completed by June 30, the project could not become functional.

Deputy Commissioner Mehtab Waseem Azhar, who also holds the charge of administrator MC, inspected the various rain-hit areas and the city’s main disposal stations after the rain and issued directions to the officials concerned to ensure functioning of the disposal machines.

The citizens have urged the Punjab government to take notice of their plight and take measures to control urban flooding.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2021