Heavy Rain Lashes Bhopal, Exposes Civic Failures; Hostel Flooded, Power Outages In Over 100 Areas

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Heavy overnight rainfall exposed poor drainage and civic preparedness in the state capital, causing severe waterlogging across several areas and power outages in over 100 localities in Bhopal.

Separately, the ground floor of the recently renovated C-Block Boys’ Hostel at Gandhi Medical College was inundated.

Reports indicate that water entered around 10 to 15 rooms on the hostel’s ground floor. The entire ground floor and corridors were waterlogged, making movement difficult for students. Around 70 to 80 students reside in the hostel.

The rainfall began on Saturday night and continued intermittently, ranging from heavy downpours to light drizzles, until Sunday morning.

The Old City was the worst affected area. In Ward-73, several neighbourhoods and lanes, including Shiv Nagar, experienced severe waterlogging after just half an hour of rain.

Roads in Shivaji Gali, Masjid Wali Gali, and surrounding areas turned into pools of water, making it difficult for residents to step out. In several places, water reached the doorsteps of houses.

Residents said that although claims about drain cleaning and improved infrastructure are made every year, the drainage system failed during the very first spell of rain.

Strong winds accompanied the rain, affecting more than 100 areas. The impact was most severe in Bawadiakalan, Kolar, Hoshangabad Road, and Raisen Road.

Kolar witnessed a power outage lasting two to three hours, and several trees were also uprooted. Similar conditions were reported in the Old City, while waterlogging was also seen in Karond.

1.25 inches of rainfall recorded

The Meteorological Department recorded 1.25 inches of rainfall overnight. Due to the rain, the night temperature dropped to 23.2°C.