Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jul 7: The sudden and intense spell of rain and windstorm on Monday evening disrupted normal life across Srinagar, with several areas experiencing waterlogging, traffic jams, and falling trees amid the strong winds.
The rains began around 5 PM, rapidly flooding many parts of the city, including SMHS Road, Khankah-e-Moula, Rainawari, Gasiar Chowk, Eidgah, Nawab Bazar, Polo View, Lal Chowk, and surrounding localities. Residents from these areas said that the brief but intense rainfall turned the city into a network of pools, with water seeping into homes and businesses, creating flood-like conditions.
“There is a flood-like situation. The drainage system has completely failed,” a local resident from Rajouri Kadal said.
In Gasiar Chowk Zadibal, Srinagar, a manhole was damaged during the downpour, causing hazards for pedestrians and motorists as drainage water began overflowing onto the street.
A tree fell between Batwara and Pandrethan in the early evening, damaging an e-rickshaw bearing registration number JK01AV-1587 and causing a massive traffic jam on both sides of the road. The situation was later managed by visiting officials who cleared the debris. A tree was also uprooted in Khanyar near the Aastaan-e-Aliya due to heavy winds.
Another incident involved a fallen tree on the railway track near Budgam Railway Station, temporarily disrupting train services. Railway authorities initiated clearance operations to restore normalcy.
Massive winds and rain also struck Eidgah in Srinagar, causing water to enter the area.
Residents expressed frustration over the poor drainage infrastructure and repeated civic failures. “Every time it rains, the same story repeats. Just one hour of rain, and the entire city gets choked,” lamented a paediatrician in Polo View.
Another resident, a paediatrician who preferred not to be named, recounted an accident: “We were riding a bike, and with the road fully waterlogged, we fell due to a pothole hidden beneath the water. We were injured, but thanks to Almighty Allah, not severely. If Lal Chowk, the main hub of the city, gets waterlogged, what can we expect in other parts?” (KNO)
