Patna: Several low-lying areas under knee-deep water

PATNA: Light to heavy rainfall on the third consecutive day on Tuesday aggravated the waterlogging problem in several localities of the state capital. The plight of commuters has compounded because of dug-up roads for civic utilities, including laying underground pipelines, electricity and phone wires and construction of drains in many areas of the city.
Almost continuous downpour since Monday afternoon has made the condition worse in low-lying areas like Kadamkuan, Rajendra Nagar, Jakkanpur, Thakurbari Road, Bahadurpur, SK Puri, Kurji, Nala Road, Bhattacharya Road, Exhibition Road and Kankarbagh.
Some of the aggrieved residents raised doubts over the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) preparedness for monsoon and its tall claims of laying new sewer lines in several areas. Ritu Aggarwal, a resident of Rajendra Nagar, said the civic body does not give a damn about the waterlogging problem. “They made tall claims about the cleaning of sewerage, but I don’t trust them. Had it been cleaned before monsoon, the rainwater would not have remained accumulated for more than 12 hours,” she said.
Sujata Sen, a resident of Kadamkuan said, “There is knee-deep water in our area just after two days of light rain. If the civic body does not act fast, rainwater will enter the households in my area. It is difficult to venture out of the house, but I have to pick and drop my kids for school.”
The residents also found it difficult to manoeuvre through city roads to reach their offices, educational institutions, health facilities and railway stations. Deepshikha, a student of Magadh Mahila College, said stagnant rainwater at the entrance made it difficult for the students to enter the college premises. Rainwater also entered several educational institutes across the city.
While the residents struggled, civic body officials claimed that steps had been initiated to check the waterlogging problem in several areas. PMC public relations officer Harshita told this newspaper that sanitation workers are working 24X7 to clear the waterlogged areas. “Before the monsoon, the PMC tried to lay the sewerage in Kankarbagh and Bypass areas, but people protested,” said Harshita, claiming that waterlogging was less this time compared to previous years.
“Total 32 complaints have been received from locals about waterlogging in their areas. Most of the complaints are from Bankipore and Kankarbagh circles,” she said.
The PMC prepared a standard operating procedure with several departments, including health, public health engineering, water resources, Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and district administration, to tackle the waterlogging problem due to monsoon rain.