PESHAWAR, Sept 3: Heavy rain on Monday lowered temperature but troubled road users, including pedestrians, in the provincial capital.

The rainwater flooded roads due to faulty drainage system and thus, causing traffic jam for long hours.

Most commuters covered long distances by foot in water as public transport vehicles were stuck up in gridlock.

Some vehicles broke down after being submerged to aggregate chaos on the roads. Their drivers were seen requesting pedestrians to push their vehicle to workshop.

Long queues of vehicles were all over the city.

“I saw many cars being pushed by people wading through knee-deep rainwater in Chongi area on Kohat Road,” said a traffic policeman deployed there.

He said he struggled to regulate traffic on flooded roads around Chongi Chowk after rainfall.

Local residents and shopkeepers were seen busy opening blocked drains.

“I traveled around half a kilometre from Nishtarabad to Gulbahar in more than an hour,” said Abdul Majeed, a motorist.

A resident of Faqirabad locality said rainwater entered his house due to blocked drains forcing members of his family into spending quite some time on cots.

He said water damaged parts of the house and furniture.

People, especially students, reached their destinations behind schedule due to flood roads and traffic jam.

According to Met Office, Malam Jabba in Swat received 36 millimetres rain in the day followed by Abbottabad with 24 millimetres, Peshawar with 22 millimetres, Chirat with 17 millimetres and Dir with 11 millimetres.

It forecast rain in many parts of the province and adjoining tribal areas in the next 24 hours.

APP adds that people stepped out and thronged parks and gardens for enjoyment as downpour turned the weather of Peshawar pleasant.

They heaved a sigh of relief after rain broke the long dry spell. Khalid Bin Waleed, Wazir Bagh, Qayyum Stadium and Jinnah Park pulled in large crowds.

Visitors declared the rain a blessing and said they offered special prayers, Namaz-i-Istisqa, for rains.