Chandigarh in troubled waters as it records highest-ever rain at 302.2 mm in 24 hours

While roads caved in, the Bhakra main line carrying drinking water to the city was destroyed. Schools have been shut for two days and the city was flooded.

According to officials of the Chandigarh Meteorological Department, the Union Territory has “never seen” this amount of rain.

The Chandigarh Administration on Sunday also wrote to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), seeking their help to control the situation.

“Due to heavy rainfall from the last two days, there is waterlogging situation in some parts of the city. Further, the water level has also increased above danger mark in Sukhna lake and there is requirement to open Sukhna flood gates to avoid any untoward situation. Due to this, situation can be worsened in the nearby villages like Kishangarh, Zirakpur, Baltana etc which are situated in low areas. It is therefore requested to provide NDRF teams at the earliest to control the situation in Union Terrirritory Chandigarh,” said a notice from the office of UT Home Secretary.

Sukhna lake overflowing due to heavy rain. (Express photo by Kamleshwar Singh)

Considering the heavy rainfall and the aftermath, the Chandigarh Administration announced and told school managements to consider closing schools for July 10 and 11.

“In view of heavy rainfall and the weather forecast of UT Chandigarh region, the managements of the schools of UT Chandigarh may for the safety and security of the students and teaching/non-teaching faculty, consider to keep their schools closed for classes for Monday-Tuesday. While taking a decision, they must consider as the case may be, inter alia, the rain effect on school infrastructure — classrooms, electricals, approach roads both in the vicinity of the school and where the children and staff travel from. If the schools choose to open for classes, they will ensure the safety and security of the attending schoolchildren and staff,” said the order by the Director School Education.

It has been the heaviest rainfall in living memory. “The Chandigarh observatory was set up in 2009. Prior to that, the figures were taken from the Chandigarh Air Force observatory itself. Even the Air Force observatory has seen maximum notches going up to 262.0 mm, that too on July 18, 2000 but not this much as present figures,” said a senior official of the MeT department.

The heavy rain brought down the maximum temperature on Sunday by eight degrees below normal as it recorded 26 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature was 23.6 degrees Celsius.

It was the wettest July as well. While in 2021, July saw maximum rainfall of 21.5 mm, in 2020, it saw maximum rainfall of 77.4 mm.

In 2019, the maximum rainfall in July recorded 50.5 mm, in year 2018, it recorded 64.8 mm. While 2017’s July saw 120.8 mm, 2016 saw 53 mm.

Pipeline carrying drinking water to Chandigarh destroyed

The heavy downpour also damaged one of the four pipelines that carry drinking water from Bhakra main line to Chandigarh at Kajauli waterworks because of which the supply of water to the entire city would be affected for a couple of days. The Municipal Corporation said that because of the damage, the supply on Monday morning would be at low pressure in the city while in the evening there would be no water supply.

The city roads were flooded as it had been raining cats and dogs since Sunday night.

“It will start reducing from Monday onwards though and thereafter will become humid again,” said an MeT official. A cyclonic circulation has also formed over the region and Pakistan which is also contributing to the rain in the city, officials added.

MeT director A K Singh said, “In fact, the system of monsoon was also active and there was this effect of the western disturbance too. However, this western disturbance will start to weaken from Sunday night and it won’t rain with this much intensity as it did now. Chandigarh has broken all-time records.”

Over 20 teams have been constituted and put on alert by the Chandigarh Administration. All the heads of bodies have been asked to remain alert.

Both floodgates of Sukhna opened up to 9 inch for first time

For the first time, both the flood gates of the Sukhna Lake were opened up to 9 inches, said the Chief Engineer of the Chandigarh Administration.

One of the flood gates was opened early at 6 am. The UT decided not to open the third flood gate but the flow of water was so heavy that it was crossing over the floodgate.

UT Chief Engineer CB Ojha told The Indian Express, “Usually, we would open both the floodgates maximum up to 2 to 3 inch. This is for the first time that the flood gates have been opened up to 9 inches.”

(Express photo by Kamleshar Singh)

He added, “Also, we are constantly in touch with Mohali Deputy Commissioner and Panchkula Deputy Commissioner.”

One gate was closed at 4.45 pm while the other was still open because the water level at Sukhna had already crossed 1,164 feet.

Till last week, Sukhna’s water level had just touched 1,161 feet. However, after it touched 1,164 feet, Chandigarh engineering officials rushed to open the floodgates as the danger mark of 1,163 feet was touched.

Ojha said that a team of the engineering department was constantly on alert for the last 24 hours at the Sukhna Lake.

Flooding in the entire city

Knee-deep water entered various houses of the villages in the city. Most of the city roads were clogged as commuters tried to wade through the waterlogged roads. So much so, even the government houses had knee-deep water and belongings of residents got spoilt. The basements of hotels, fitness clubs, banquets were flooded with water.

Dumping ground Leachate enters Dadumajra lanes

It was a misery for Dadumajra residents when a major part of a 15 to 20 ft-high wall that was constructed so as to prevent residents from the mountain of waste, gave up on Sunday morning.

The wall was constructed last year. Not just this, residents staying near the dump said that leachate mixed with dirty water flowed and entered their houses because of the incessant rain. The residents could also feel the stench arising out of the dump after the rain.

Leachate was seen flowing like river on the roads leading to houses of the residents.

A part of road in Sector 14 caved in this morning. The road dividing sector 14/15 towards the sector 14 side caved in, following which the traffic was diverted from sector 14/15 light point towards PGI chowk.

An alert by Chandigarh Traffic police was also posted at all platforms.

The road wing department has been informed by the traffic police to take immediate measures.

“Kindly avoid this stretch of road and adopt an alternative route. The citizens are advised and requested for not taking this road and to avoid taking any risk by making any attempt to cross this location,” said an alert issued by the traffic police.

Emergency control rooms

The Municipal Corporation set up 24X7 Emergency Control Rooms at three strategic locations in the city — Sector 15, Manimajra and Sector 17- ICCC. Officers visited the control rooms and also pushed the fire and rescue services into action.

The MC has also formed 18 Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to address issues of waterlogging, fallen trees, disruption of drinking water supply, electrocution and other emergencies.

Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra visited the affected areas along with other officials to assess the situation. At Dadumajra, suction tankers were deployed to prevent leachate from flowing onto the roads.

With regard to the train services, Chandigarh-bound Vande Bharat and Jan Shatabdi and all Kalka-Shimla trains were cancelled on Sunday, leaving passengers in the lurch. On Saturday, the evening Shatabdi had reached Delhi at 1 am.