Mohali: Heavy rain triggers long power cuts, less flooding
Residents of Phase 11, Phase 6 and other areas left in the dark; inverters run out of charge as feeders tripped
2 min read
Residents complained that even their inverters had drained out, leaving households completely powerless (Express Photo)A brief but intense spell of rain after a humid day on Sunday afternoon left several areas grappling with power cuts, but flooding was not severe this time. Power supply went out around 4 pm in many localities and, by the time of filing this report, had not been restored. Residents complained that even their inverters had drained out, leaving households completely powerless.
The worst affected areas included Phase 11, Phase 6 and adjoining sectors, where electricity outages stretched for hours. Power department staff attributed the blackout to “technical faults in a few feeders” that disrupted supply.
The former councillor of Phase 11, Sukhwinder Singh Barnala, said: “For a while, rainwater had collected in the streets of Phase 11. Had the showers continued a little longer, water would have entered people’s homes. Luckily, residents were spared. People even spent money from their own pockets to get the roads and drains cleaned. When we requested the area MC, Kulwant Singh Kaler, to arrange cleaning, he flatly refused saying it was not his responsibility.”
Former Phase 6 councillor R P Sharma added, “Here, electricity has been out since 4 pm. I have spoken with the power department officials and they have assured me that supply will be restored soon.”
Significantly, during the last spell of rain, water had seeped inside and outside the Civil Hospital, but this time the hospital was saved from flooding. Local resident Rajinder Sharma pointed out: “Usually rainwater gushes in from the Chandigarh side, but this time proper drainage helped prevent flooding.”
Senior Deputy Mayor and councillor of Sector 71, Amrik Singh Somal, said: “In our ward, rainwater entered homes during previous downpours. This time, however, while water did accumulate at a large scale in the market area, especially in front of a private school, the drains were cleaned in time, allowing water to flow out quickly and sparing residents further trouble.”
Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi of Phase 3B2 said, “In my ward too, timely cleaning of drains ensured proper rainwater discharge. This is why residents were not as troubled as in past spells.”
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