Kozhikode: Low lying areas flooded

Kozhikode: The low-lying areas of the city continue to be inundated in rainwater despite the municipal corporation spending huge sums of money for improving the drainage facility.

As usual the Mavoor Road was the most affected with water-level scaling up in a way the shops of  Muffusil bus stand junction had to close down with water entering the shops on Friday. The traders have shifted the valuables from the floor to higher spots as the rain water entered the ground floor from the road.

The traffic through the road was on a snail’s pace as it was tough for cars to wade through the water. The rain that started to lash throughout the night has resulted in inundation of the low-lying areas.

Many parts of the city including the Mavoor Road, Moffusil bus stand junction, Pavamani Road and Rammohan Road are still prone to water logging.

Jose J.V., a resident of Puthiyara alleged that lack of vision in implementing drainage project in the city resulted in the endless water-logging. “Under the urban drainage improvement project the drainages were reconstructed in 2013 spending an amount of `4.75 crore, which also proved futile in bringing a relief to city dwellers from the inundation”, he added.

 “Again many crores have been pumped into the drainage in the name of improving it in the last many years, but all in vein”, he pointed out.

At several points there are purposeful obstructions in the drainage checking the full flow of waste water.

When it rains the narrowed canals are insufficient to drain out the water, resulting in inundation at various spots, it was pointed out.

Corporation standing committee chairperson (Development) T.V. Rajan told DC that the reconstruction works of the drainages are still on. In total the corporation has allotted an amount of `40 crore for ten projects at various spots.

“Among the ten all the eight were executed by a single contractor who has been warned for his slow pace”, he added.

Once the ongoing drainage reconstruction works are completed the issue would be sorted out, he added.

 Mr Rajan also opined that the inundation of the city on the day is the result of the heavy rain that lashed from Thursday night.