SRINAGAR: Heavy rains lashed Kashmir Valley, including the summer capital Srinagar giving respite to people from scorching heat. A couple of hours rain virtually turned Srinagar including city centre into an artificial lake. Commuters and pedestrians faced lot of inconvenience due to water-logging across Srinagar city.
It was difficult for the commuters to walk on various city roads even the commercial hub Lal Chowk, Residency Road and MA Road here literally remained deluged.
At some busy and important junctions including Regal Chowk, the pedestrians preferred to hire auto-rickshaw to cross the roads. Most of public transport went off the roads due to water logging which hampered the smooth movement of traffic.
The problem was compounded by defunct drainage system in various areas. The choked drains, according to locals led to water logging in various city localities.
Inhabitants of Rajouri Kadal in old Srinagar city resented the “inaction” of the authorities to dewater the submerged roads in the locality. At a number of places, the roads were completely submerged.
Shopkeepers from different markets complained that water logging severely affected their daily business while some complained that the water entered their shops.
Massive water-logging was witnessed at Parraypora, Rambagh, LD Hospital, TRC Junction, Regal Chowk, Jehangir Chowk and Sonwar.
Inhabitants of Bemina also complained that poor drainage system has compounded their problems. Similar complaints were received from Shalteng, Usmanabad lane-3, Umerabad, Mustafabad, Zainakote, Maisuma, Indira Nagar, Iqbal Colony Sonwar, Aloocha Bagh, Shivpora, Rainawari and Soura.
Inhabitants of Indira Nagar said interior roads and bylanes were inundated by ankle deep rainwater. “Students and patients are bearing the brunt of the water-logging. The Cantonment Board is in slumber. We hope the district administration will intervene and press into service the dewatering pumps,” said the aggrieved residents of Indira Nagar.
Rains also lash parts of North, South and Central Kashmir. Spokesperson, Srinagar Municipal Corporation in wake of heavy rains fall put it’s men and machinery on task to dewater the water logged areas in different parts of Srinagar city.
“All the dewatering stations including mobile pumps have been kept operational. Besides sucker machines and mobile pumps the entire sanitation staff has been pressed into service since Tuesday morning.”
“Dewatering exercise which was personally being monitored by Commissioner SMC Riyaz Ahmed Wani was being carried out in inundated areas including Hari Singh High Street, Lal Chowk, Batamaloo, Jehangir Chowk, Rajbagh.”
“Commissioner SMC along with the entire concerned staff has personally visited the dewatering stations and the inundated areas where SMC workers were on job to dewater the inundated areas,” the Spokesperson added.
Director MeT Sonam Lotus said that most parts of Jammu and Kashmir region lashed with shower since Tuesday morning. “There is significant improvement in weather. A couple of hour’s rain after a week of dry weather won’t led to flood,” he said.
Sonam Lotus said that there will be occasional rainfall in coming week. (CNS)
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