Srinagar, Oct 23: Incessant rain caused waterlogging in most of the areas in the summer capital on Saturday.
It was difficult for the commuters to walk on various city roads including commercial hub Lal Chowk due to waterlogging.
At some busy and important junctions including Regal Chowk, the pedestrians preferred to hire auto-rickshaws to cross the roads. Most of public transport went off the roads due to water logging which hampered smooth traffic movement.
Inhabitants of Khanyar in Downtown resented inaction of the authorities to dewater the submerged roads in the locality. At Baba Demb, the road was completely submerged.
The water logging in various city markets adversely affected business of shopkeepers. Shoppers also found it difficult to open their shops in water logged markets.
“There is no business today. We are sitting idle. Waterlogging has adversely affected our business,” said a salesman at Hari Singh High Street.
Massive water logging was witnessed at MA Road, Residency Road, Parraypora, Rambagh, LD Hospital, Regal Chowk, Jehangir Chowk and Sonwar. The affected areas also include Bemina, Mehjoor Nagar, interior areas of Natipora, Chanapora, and its adjacent areas.
Inhabitants of Bemina also complained that poor drainage system has compounded their problems.
Similar complaints were received from Shalteng, Usmanabad lane-3, Umerabad, Mustafabad, Zainakote, Maisuma, Indira Nagar, Iqbal Colony Sonwar, AloochaBagh, Shivpora, Rainawari and Soura.
Inhabitants of Indira Nagar said interior roads and bylanes were inundated by ankle deep rainwater.
They complained that interior roads and bylanes were inundated by rainwater.
Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Athar Aamir said that in the wake of heavy rains, the SMC pressed its men and machinery to dewater the affected areas on war footing.
“Besides sucker machines and mobile pumps, other man and machinery was pressed into service for immediate dewatering process in affected areas,” he said.
He added that the “minor water logging occurred at few road portions” was also brought under the process. He said SMC also provided men and machinery to SKIMS Bemina for dewatering hospital premises.
“All the dewatering stations including mobile pumps have been made operational. I personally monitored the situation and also visited several areas to have a firsthand account of the ground situation,” he said while replying to a query.