Puddles, potholes add to Surtis’ rain pain

SURAT: If the incessant downpour wasn’t enough to throw normal lives out of gear in Surat city, the moon-sized craters on large number of roads following rain throughout last week is not only an acrobatic exercise on two-wheelers but is also endangering commuters’ lives on the busy thoroughfares.
Piplod residents, particularly the commuters on two wheelers, are having trying times maintaining balance and negotiating potholes on the road from Kargil Chowk to Piplod village. Similar situation prevails on parts of Ghod Dod road where waterlogging has resulted in creation of massive potholes on the roads. The rain has also exposed the shoddy job done on number of interior roads in Central zone and Katargam zone which were totally washed off after last weeks rains. Parts of Limbayat and Udhna zones were most damaged as many roads in industrial areas crumbled in the rains.
On Sunday alone six cases of tree uprooting were reported from Causeway Crossroads, Kamrej Canal Road, Nanpura Hijra Wad, Ghod Dod Road, Kakadia Complex, Lalbangala and at Chapra Bhatha area of the city.
After rains on Saturday and also on Sunday morning, low-lying areas of the city got inundated with rainwater. Varachha rail underpass, Limbayat underpass, parts of Katargam Road and some parts of Sumul Dairy roads were under one feet deep water.
Elsewhere In The District
After rains on the weekend, Kim river waters were seen over flowing on Vadoli-Vank area and the road to Bharuch-Ankleswar-Kim-Olpad is closed. Similarly eight causeways were submerged in Mahua taluka compelling authorities to close these roads for vehicular traffic.
Two main rivers of Navsari district Purna and Ambika were flowing much above their danger mark and as result of which, 2,812 people from Navsari town, 1,550 from Navsari rural and 950 from Chikli taluka were shifted to safer places.
Heavy rain in Dang led to flooding of Purna river of Navsari district and as a result large number of areas in low-lying villages on its shores cane under water inundation. Low-lying areas of Navsari town like Kaliyawadi , Prakash Talkiz, Ring road were flooded with two feet of water at places. Purna against its danger mark of 23 feet was flowing at 25 feet by 4.00PM on Sunday and large scale flooding threat is still on in many villages of Navsari and Surat district .
Similarly Ambika river was flowing at 35.09 feet against danger level of 289 feet and at least 50 villages of Navsari district are under floods. Water has entered people’s homes in villages of Chikli, Gandevi taluka and their connection by roads to bigger towns is severed . In many villages electricity is not available .
In Valsad district heavy rains up to 210mm in morning hours of Sunday has seen huge amount of water flowing in Madhuban dam of Damanganaga river. More than 25 villages have been issued alert in Valsad district and at present the income in Madhuban dam is recorded at 3.34 lakh Cusecs of water against the out flow of 2.20 lakh cusecs.
On Sunday, following large scale rains in Mangrol and Olpad, at least 12 small roads connecting different villages were inundated with 2-3 feet water. In Bardoli, Mangrol, Mandvi and Mahua talukas too small causeways being submerged in flood waters resulting in traffic coming to a total halt.
On Bardoli-Navsari road, the bridge over Purna river was closed at Gurukul Supa for traffic. Mindhola river water inundated low-lying areas of Bardoli town and left nearly 20,000 people marooned on Sunday. Mahua-Anaval interior road is close closed following water on Ambika bridge from the river. As the Haripura causeway started to overflow, it has resulted in 14 interior villages of Mandvi taluka losing communications with Kadod village of the taluka.