Heavy and continuous rains expose poor drainage system in Valley

SHAKEELA ANDRABI

SRINAGAR: Continuous heavy rains from last few days have exposed poor drainage system in Kashmir especially in Srinagar, as water-logging in several areas of summer capital has disrupted normal life. In Srinagar city, places like Lal Chowk, Residency Road, Hari Singh High Street, TRC, Baba Dem, Mehjoor Nagar, Sanat Nagar, Khanyar, Hawal, Baag Ali Mardan Khan, Lal Bazar and other adjacent areas are witnessing huge water-logging. Apart from this, link roads in these areas are also under water. Similarly, civil line areas including Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh and uptown areas including Hyderpora, Rawalpora too were water-logged due to which movement in many colonies got restricted.
Locals from different parts of city complained that inundated streets had restricted their movement and many among them are even unable to take out their vehicles. “People preferred to stay indoors because of water-logged roads. In many areas, the streets are filled with knee-deep water due to defunct drainage system,” said a resident, adding that due to water-logged roads, severe traffic jams were witnessed on major routes of city.
“It took about one and a half hour to travel from Alamgari Bazar to Lal Bazar Umer Colony as there was heavy traffic jam from Zadibal Boys Higher Secondary School to BotaKadal Lal Bazar, where road was filled with water,” said a pedestrian.
Shah Jahan, Superintendent Engineer (Hydraulic), who is also holding the additional charge of SE Drainage told that department is fully equipped to handle the issue of water-logging in the city. “We have managed the issues of water-logging well. Our men and machinery were on the ground. Infact, I myself visited areas like Parraypora and others parts of downtown Srinagar. There is a traffic mess and huge Eid rush of people in different parts. Our machinery can’t reach some areas due to traffic jam,” he said. As per the officials, SMC department received at least dozens of water-logging complaints from the different localities of Srinagar in a single day. Meanwhile, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department made it clear that there is no flood-like situation in Valley and people need not to panic. As per the department, the water level at Sangam is well below danger mark and same condition is in Ram Munshi Bagh.