Heavy rain leaves Patna waterlogged

Patna: Heavy rainfall on Friday left large parts of the city waterlogged, paralysing daily life in several low-lying neighbourhoods even as the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (Buidco) pressed teams and pumps into action to clear the inundation.The downpour since morning caused severe disruption in Patliputra Colony, Rajeev Nagar, Gandhi Nagar Colony and Kankarbagh, where pedestrians and vehicles struggled to wade through flooded streets. Voicing his anger, Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Patliputra Colony, said, “Every time it rains, this is the situation we face. The roads here are already broken, and with the water, they become extremely dangerous.”Om Prakash Singh of Rajeev Nagar said, “Water has accumulated in the low-lying parts of Rajiv Nagar, causing trouble, especially for children returning from school,” he said. The recurring crisis, residents stressed, reflects the city’s fragile drainage system.The civic authorities claimed that coordinated efforts were mounted on a “war footing” to drain out the water. A total of 19 quick response teams (QRTs) worked in shifts, monitoring 56 permanent and 35 temporary drainage pumping stations (DPS) at critical points. According to officials, 364 pumps, including 265 electric and 99 diesel sets, were deployed across the city, leading to clearance of water from key areas such as Vidhan Sabha, Rajendra Nagar, Digha and Gandhi Maidan within hours.Senior officers, including the municipal commissioner and zonal executives, personally inspected sites through the day. “Round-the-clock monitoring and a coordinated response ensured that water was drained from most areas in record time,” said an official.The PMC also urged residents to lodge complaints on its 24x7 helpline number 155304, assuring that adequate resources and alternative arrangements were in place to manage the monsoon season effectively.