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| Thanks to encroached flood channels; heavy rains wreak havoc in Jammu | | Rain water gushes into houses, commercial outlets | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, July 9: The strong gusts of wind and heavy thundershowers which draped the winter capital of the state on Thursday morning clogged major thoroughfares and forced harried commuters to wade through knee-deep water at several places particularly at low lying areas of the city.
Heavy rainfall wrecked havoc at several localities in Jammu after rain waters rushed through dingy lanes and overflowed across encroached water bodies and small nallahs.
Flood water of 'encroached' nallahs and overflowing rain water entered into many city localities due to which property of several households as well as business establishments got damaged.
Jammu witnessed heavy rains for two to three hours in the morning and at certain places the rain water entered into several houses, thus causing damage to the households.
The low lying areas of Krishna Nagar, Talab Tillo, Jewel Chowk, Channi Himmat, Channi Rama, Narwal, Prem Nagar, Bantalab, Bhatindi, Gangyal, Greater Kailash, Gadigarh, Chatha, Qasim Nagar, Lower Bahu Fort, Bari Brahmana, Airport Road, University Road, Panama Chowk, Railway Station Road and Hotel Asia Crossing were the worst hit due to flash floods and water logging.
While the Jammu railway station also witnessed water logging and morning trains were delayed due to it, the overflowing rain water inundated Narwal and its adjoining areas where Shree Toyota and Krishna Plastic Industry were the worst hit business establishments.
According to eyewitnesses and residents this devastation was caused by encroachment of Khad/Nallah by various builders. According to them, the encroachers and land mafia have installed crates in the khad which diverted the flow of water towards the residential area and business establishments.
Shree Toyota's owner said that the initial estimated loss to his showroom is expected to be anything between Rs 3.5 croroe to Rs 4 crore.
"We are still waiting for the team of surveyors to reach tomorrow from Delhi who will be able to provide us the exact magnitude of the loss," he said. When asked whether someone from the local administration visited the site so far, it was informed that only the officials of J&K Police have come to the area and made first hand survey.
At several places, the people were seen cursing the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) authorities, UEED and the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) for their failure to check encroachment on nallahs and remove the same at crucial points.
Locals of Chatha and Gadigarh localities staged a protest demonstration against the administration for its alleged failure to clear the chocked nallahs and drains which led to the rain water flowing into their houses.
The protesting people said that the various government agencies once again displayed their negligence before the advent of the monsoon adding that they were caught off guard by the heavy downpour.
While overnight heavy rainfall in Jammu region played havoc in certain areas, the JMC said that the damage in some areas was caused due to encroachment by people on flood channels and streams.
"The damage caused was due to blockage of water channels by land grabbers and encroachments in Jammu," Soujanya Sharma, Commissioner JMC told a news agency.
He said that it was the people who should take note of it before encroaching on water channels and blocking them by illegal construction.
Sharma further said that massive encroachment has been done in areas like Bathindi, Narwal, Kasim Nagar, Sunjwan, Rajiv Nagar, Gorkha Nagar, Christian Colony and several other areas which led to the flooding in these areas after the rains.
Some roads, pipelines, electric infrastructure suffered damages in various parts of the Jammu city. Water logging has taken places in several parts of the city, he added.
Meanwhile, several vehicles remained stuck along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Nagrotra after the highway was closed down due to landslides at various places between Udhampur and Banihal on Jammu side of the road link.
The Amarnath bound pilgrims were directed to stay put in Jammu following closing down of the highway. The traffic on Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road also remained suspended for about ten hours due to massive land slide near Kora Pani and Ragi Nallah today due to incessant rains.
Reports said that due to sudden landslide on Batote-Doda road near Ragi, Kora Pani and Chakwah nallah in Assar area at around 5 amtoday, the movement of vehicles came to halt at around 8 am. The vehicles moving between Jammu-Doda, Jammu-Kishtwar and Jammu-Bhaderwah remained stranded for the entire day. |
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