Heavy rain caused severe chaos in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula on Tuesday, leaving several roads in the Tricity inundated and bringing traffic movement to a crawl at multiple points across the city.
A portion of the road leading from Transport Light Point towards Grain Market Chowk on Madhya Marg was damaged, disrupting traffic on one of the city’s key arterial roads.
The India Meteorological Department’s Chandigarh observatory recorded 72.7 mm rainfall till 6.30 pm on Tuesday.
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According to Chandigarh Traffic Police, a portion of the Madhya Marg stretch was washed out, causing obstruction to normal traffic movement. In view of public safety, traffic coming from Panchkula was diverted from Transport Light Point via the backside of Police Lines towards ITI Light Point.
DSP Traffic Neeraj Sarna said the police received information about the damaged road around 6.30 pm.
“At around 6.30 PM, information was received that the road has caved in. Immediately the officials of MC and Administration Engineering department were informed. Following which along with Police teams and MC and Administration officials reached to inspect the spot and initiate the repair work,” Sarna said.
Chandigarh Administration Chief Engineer CB Ojha, who also reached the spot along with officials, said the damage was caused by a burst drainage pipeline at the side of road.
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“After receiving information, our teams and I too have reached at spot for inspection. It is the drainage pipeline of MC that got burst, due to which the mud on side of the road went down, leading to a hole on side of the road,” Ojha said.
He said that the road had not actually caved in, adding that repair work had been started and the affected portion barricaded to prevent any mishap.
“The road has not caved in yet. The MC officials have started the repair work, and the area has been barricaded to avoid any accident at night. Soon the traffic movement shall begin,” he said.
The damaged stretch, however, was only one of several trouble spots reported after the rain. Traffic chaos was witnessed at multiple intersections, with water accumulated on roads forcing vehicles to move slowly and resulting in long queues.
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The disruption was also reflected on social media, where several Chandigarh residents posted about the situation and tagged the traffic police and administration.
One commuter, Padam Jeet Singh Chauhan, questioned the role of traffic police during rain, posting, “Is the Chandigarh traffic police only for challans or do they also do traffic management? After it rains in Chandigarh there is a total mayhem on roads and not even a single policeman is visible on road who are otherwise over zealous to cut challans.”
Another user, Praveen Sharma, posted about traffic congestion in Khuda Lahora, saying, “Chaotic traffic in Khuda Lahora Chandigarh stuck for hour. Not even one traffic police.”
A user identified as Aarushi Joshi posted that the waterlogging had made the journey home particularly difficult. “The Chandigarh administration needs to wake up! The extreme water logging on the city roads today was horrific.. it looked like drainage system didn’t exist in the city at all,” she wrote, adding, “It was a nightmare to reach home.. it took me 2.5 hrs which on normal days is 15 mins..”
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The traffic problems were not confined to the city’s internal roads. A post by Nikhil Saini said he was only about 2 km from Chandigarh, in the Kharar area, but described travelling even that short distance as a “nightmare”, citing poor basic infrastructure.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).
Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.
Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.
Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:
1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
"12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.
"‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.
"Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.
2. Investigative & Scams
"CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.
"Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.
3. Environment & Public Safety
"Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.
"Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.
4. Gangster Culture & Crime
"City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.
"Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.
Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
