Lahore drowns

[LRE]

Lahore drowns



Thursday, July 31, 2008
By Our Correspondent

LAHORE

The city drowned after a heavy rain on Wednesday submerging not only low-lying areas but also places like The Mall and Jail Road.

The rain followed by massive traffic jams on almost every city road added to the problems of the people.

At least 68mm rain was recorded at the airport while it was 21mm in the city. The rain, a test case for the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), exposed all its claims and arrangements. The rain once again proved that the agency had failed on that count.

Rainwater in many areas was knee-deep and it was not possible for motorists and motorcyclists to drive.

The localities in North Lahore were the worst hit where streets and roads were like rivulets.

The Met has forecast cloudy weather with chances of rain with thunderstorm for Thursday (today). Before the rain, the maximum temperature was recorded at 37 C but it dropped to 27 C after the rain.

Following heavy rain, localities around The Mall, Davis Road, Edgerton Road, Empress Road, Railway Station, Lakshami Chowk, Ravi Road, Dev Samaj Road (Santnagar), Secretariat, Islampura, Misri Shah, Wasanpura, Chauburji, Old Anarkali, Samanabad, Gulberg, Garhi Shahu, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Davis Road, New Garden Town, Kashmir Road, Cooper Road, Mohni Road, Bagh Gul Begum, Saadi Park, Abid Market, Hall Road, Shahalam Market, Circular Road and Gawalmandi were inundated.

The rain paralysed the city, disrupting business activity and forcing citizens to stay indoors and miss offices. Residents of low-lying areas were seen throwing bucketloads of rain water out of their houses.

Rain made under construction roads messier. Maulana Shaukat Ali Road was one of the clear example of the fact as residents of areas adjoining Johar Town, Faisal Town, Town Ship and Pindi Rajputan faced serious difficulties because of the rain. They said the new road was some three to four feet above the ground level and the rain water drain along this road was still under construction and rain water accumulated on the small roads linking with the main artery.

Roads from the Punjab University to Sheikh Zayed Hospital and from Kalma Chowk to Barkat Market were flooded until evening. Besides rainwater, sewage also entered homes. People from various localities have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to visit their localities in order to see the devastated and chocked sewer system.The rain also disrupted power supply network in the City and power went out as soon as rain started. People of various areas said that rain provided an opportunity to the LESCO to cut power supply. Electric supply to various localities was not restored until the filing of this report.

Meanwhile, WASA authorities and its officials remained on their heels to clear accumulated rainwater.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=127270

[LRE]