‘City of puddles’: Kharar residents slam Punjab govt over waterlogging

Despite serving as a Cabinet minister for over a year, MLA Anmol Gagan Maan has failed to address the city’s civic problems, residents said. “Due to the MLA’s incompetence, Kharar has now become the number one city for waterlogging in Punjab,” Tarsem Singh, a resident of JTPL, remarked.

Senior BJP leader and Punjab state media head Vineet Joshi, who toured various societies in Kharar during the rains, also held the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) responsible for the situation. He said that in 2022, 2023, and again in 2024, every spell of rain has turned Kharar into a “city of puddles,” but no corrective action was taken either by Anmol Gagan Maan or the Local Bodies Minister of the state government.

Listing the affected areas, Joshi pointed out that almost every part of the city is under water — whether Kharar-Landran road, Nijjar road, Khooni Majra road, Sante Majra road, Arya College road, Jhungian road, Jain Mandir lane, Bhukhri road near HLV Film City, the road ahead of Noor City, or colonies like Shivalik City, Nirvana Green, LIC Colony, Chandigarh Enclave, New Sunny Enclave (Ward No. 9), and Silver City (Ward No. 10). “Waterlogging is everywhere, and life has become miserable for residents,” Joshi said.

Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal on Monday inspected the Kharar-Landran road and directed National Highway officials to immediately begin repair work once the Municipal Council pumps finish draining stagnant rainwater.

She explained that sewerage and storm water from Shivalik City and adjoining societies usually flow into the highway drain, but continuous rainfall caused it to overflow, leading to severe waterlogging. To provide temporary relief, pumps have been deployed, while the National Highway Authority will restore the road soon after clearance. She added that a permanent solution is underway, with sewerage lines being connected to the under-construction Shivalik STP through allotted tenders.

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