Bhopal: After a week’s break, the state capital witnessed heavy rains on Thursday. It provided much-needed relief from humid weather but at the same time it brought many problems for the citizens. On the day, the city recorded 8cm rainfall which left many colonies and roads waterlogged.
Low-lying areas were worst hit and the first spell of monsoon exposed tall claims of the civic body. It rained from morning and continued throughout the day. In morning hours, it was difficult for people to wade through waterlogged roads as it took hours to drain out rainy water.
At RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration, the road was totally submerged. Even four wheelers faced difficulty while passing through the road. Similar condition was witnessed at Habibganj Railway bridge and it was flooded with rainwater. It was impossible for commuters to pass through it.
Other worst-hit areas of the city were- Saifia college, Bhopal Talkies, Shiv Nagar (Chhola), Hamidia road, Sindhi Colony, Shahpura (RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration), Aishbag, Ashoka Garden, Padamnabha Nagar, Chandbad, DIG bunglow, Kabadkhana (categorized market), Maha Mai Ka bag (Narela).
The local administration swung into action for the relief. Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma, BMC commissioner Avinash Lavania and Collector Sudam Khade visited waterlogged areas. Over dozens colonies were waterlogged with the maiden spell of monsoon rains.
Collector Sudam Khade instructed officials to inspect construction on nullah in 11 no-Bus Stop (E-6 Arera Colony) and Ashoka Garden. Earlier, BMC commissioner Avinash Lavania inspected various low-lying areas in old city and instructed officials in the control room to redress complaints of water logging at priority. Lavania also visited control room and took stock of the situation.
In old city like Marwari Road, Ibrahimpura, Moti Masjid and others, sewage and drainage lines were overflowed with rain water as the drains have not been cleaned before the onset of monsoon. However, the BMC claimed that it cleaned all nullahs during the three months programme. In Chhola area and Maha Mai Ka Bag, residents had to live in knee deep water. Water gushed into many households. They have bitter experience of 2016 when the entire area was marooned.
The BMC administration has set up zone-level flood control cells. It also released contact numbers of officials concerned and control rooms. Main control room(Fategarh)—2542222,2701401, Emergency control in-charge deputy commissioner Vinod Shukla—94244499775; control room(matamandir) in-charge Harish Gupta—9424499900; street lights repairing—155304;18002330014; tree complaint—BD Bhumarkar—9826334353. For Snakes—Salim(9425600658); Shahid Ali (9826291176), Khalil Mian (9203897732).
