Srinagar, Jun 22 (JKNS): A spell of heavy rainfall lasting nearly an hour on Monday inundated several parts of Srinagar and Budgam districts, leading to severe waterlogging, traffic disruption and public inconvenience, while videos of submerged cars and auto-rickshaws went viral on social media.
Residents told news agency JKNS that multiple localities, including Khanyar, Babademb, Nowhatta, Bagh-e-Mehtab, Mochuwa and Habba Kadal in Srinagar, besides Chadoora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, witnessed significant water accumulation on roads after the intense downpour.
Eyewitnesses said vehicles, including cars and auto-rickshaws, were seen partially submerged in waterlogged stretches, prompting commuters to abandon routes and seek alternative passages.
Several videos circulating on social media showed roads resembling streams, with stranded vehicles and pedestrians wading through water in different parts of Srinagar. Some clips showed vehicles struggling to move through flooded roads as rainwater entered several low-lying areas.
The rainfall also affected traffic movement on major roads, causing congestion and delays during peak hours, while residents complained of inadequate drainage in several localities.
A resident of Khanyar said the area gets flooded after every moderate spell of rain, alleging that the drainage network has failed to cope with the growing urban population.
“Just one hour of rainfall was enough to inundate roads and lanes. Vehicles got stuck and pedestrians were forced to walk through dirty water. This situation repeats every year despite repeated assurances,” he said.
Another local resident said the flooding exposed the poor condition of drainage infrastructure in many parts of the city.
“The government must take this issue seriously. Every rainfall turns our locality into a waterlogged zone. Authorities should conduct a comprehensive review of drainage systems and ensure long-term solutions,” he said.
Residents urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led Government to take immediate and effective measures to address the recurring problem of urban flooding and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future.
“We appeal to the Omar Abdullah Government to act on a war footing and upgrade the drainage network across Srinagar. People should not have to suffer every time it rains,” a group of residents told JKNS.
Meanwhile, monitoring teams were assessing the situation and efforts were underway to ensure smooth drainage of accumulated rainwater from affected areas. (JKNS)
