Open, choked drain worsens waterlogging near Jagatpura mall

Jaipur: Jagatpura has emerged as one of the city’s fast-growing residential and commercial areas, with Mahal Road and the popular Capital Mall attracting heavy daily footfall. But despite rapid development in the area, residents and shopkeepers say poor drainage, damaged roads and sanitation issues continue to trouble the locality.On Thursday, a mere 30 minutes of rainfall was enough to flood the road outside Capital Mall, slowing the traffic and leaving commuters struggling to pass through the waterlogged stretch. Locals said the problem has persisted for nearly a year and becomes worse when it rains.A shopkeeper at the mall, requesting anonymity, said an open drain near the road became a major safety concern. “Last year, the drain was opened for cleaning work, but it was never properly covered back. Since then, vehicles keep getting stuck here and people have also fallen while crossing the area,” he said.Residents said the open drain has now turned into a dumping spot for garbage, further affecting water flow during rainfall. Waste often chokes the drain, causing water to spill onto the road within minutes. “Even a short spell of rain turns the road into a mess. If this is the condition before monsoon, the situation during heavy rains will be worse,” said Ashul Lakhwani, a local trader.People living and working in the area said they had complained to the Jaipur Municipal Corporation and other departments concerned several times, but no permanent solution has been provided so far.Digvendra Bhardwaj, a resident of the area, said Jagatpura is expanding rapidly, but civic infrastructure fails to keep pace. “New buildings and commercial spaces are coming up quickly, but basic facilities like drainage and road maintenance are still neglected. Unless these problems are fixed, the area will continue to face waterlogging every monsoon,” he said.