Mohali: Heavy rain Friday disrupted normal life across Mohali district, with waterlogged roads causing traffic chaos and leaving thousands of commuters stranded during peak office hours. Critical stretches in Derabassi, Zirakpur, Kharar and parts of Mohali remained submerged for hours, exposing persistent shortcomings in the region’s storm water drainage network.Traffic moved at a snail’s pace on several arterial roads as cars, buses and two-wheelers struggled through inundated stretches. Hidden open manholes and potholes beneath murky water posed a serious risk to commuters, leading to minor accidents and several near-miss incidents.Several vehicles broke down after getting stuck in deep water, while many two-wheeler riders were forced to push their stalled vehicles through flooded roads. In many localities, pedestrians waded through knee-deep water as they navigated submerged streets.“I was on my way to my office in Chandigarh when my car got stuck in a waterlogged stretch. I was delayed by more than an hour and had to hire local helpers to push my vehicle out,” said commuter Raman Kumar.Jyoti, another commuter, said her scooter stalled on a flooded road in Zirakpur. “We had no option but to push it through the water. It was exhausting and risky as we could not see the road beneath,” she said.The situation was equally grim in Kharar, where flooding in the main market disrupted business activity. Water entered several shops, forcing traders to scramble to protect their stock.“Our shops are in a low-lying area and every monsoon we face the same problem. Rainwater enters the shops, damaging goods and causing losses. Despite repeated complaints, there has been no permanent solution,” said grocery shop owner Ashwani Kumar.Residents blamed recurring flooding on inadequate drainage infrastructure and poor maintenance of stormwater drains. They urged authorities to take corrective measures before the monsoon intensifies further, warning that the recurring civic problem continues to disrupt daily life and pose safety hazards.Box: Power cuts add to residents’ woesHeavy rain-triggered power outages compounded the misery of residents across Mohali district on Friday.Several areas in Zirakpur, Derabassi, Lalru and Kurali remained without electricity for hours, disrupting water supply, internet services and work-from-home schedules.Residents said power failures have become a routine occurrence during rainfall, adding to the difficulties caused by waterlogged roads.“Every time it rains, the roads get flooded and then the power goes off. We are left to suffer in hot and humid conditions for hours,” said Kamlesh Kumar, a resident of Lohgarh, Zirakpur.Residents urged PSPCL to strengthen its distribution network and improve emergency response during the monsoon. They also called for better coordination between civic agencies and the power utility to minimise disruptions during heavy rainfall.
