With the time to cast votes to elect the members of the municipal corporation drawing near, the people of the city are now pondering over the problems the civic bodies over the years have failed to solve despite pompous promises dished out by the leaders during electioneering. They all are of the view that the water logging of the major crossings of the city during the peak monsoon is the most serious problem they are facing collectively. They stress that the problem must be solved once and for all by the new civic body to be formed after the election. They also warn that they would no longer be taken for a ride by the political leaders on the matter. They say that the areas which bear the maximum brunt of the problem include Bhupatwala, Har Ki Paidi and central Haridwar encompassing BHEL. They say that they have to wade through 3-feet water after heavy shower lashes the city every monsoon. Both houses and shops go under water once it rains torrentially, runs the common refrain among the residents.
While talking to this correspondent, a resident of old Ranipur Mode M S Singhal said that they would wait for the state urban development minister to act on his promise of solving the water logging problem permanently by draining water coming from BHEL . “For two months- July and August-we face grave problems. It turns difficult to reach the central part of the city while wading through the waterlogged areas,” he said, adding that the people’s patience would wear out if the state government and the new civic body fail to solve the problem permanently.
The people say that the major crossings involving Bhagat Singh Chowk, Chandracharya Chowk, Latowali, Railway Road, Vivek Vihar Colony, Jwalapur Bazar, Hazari Bagh, Sandes Nagar, Bada Bazar, Sabji Mandi and Bhim Goda are submerged even after a spell of light rain. Tempers fray when the city faces such problems. They recall how the former mayor Manoj Garg and his supporters had brawled with the followers of Satpal Maharaj after Chandracharya Chowk got waterlogged a couple of years ago. Cases had been registered by both groups at the police station.
The people also recollect the initiatives taken by the erstwhile Harish Rawat -helmed Congress government. “Efforts were made then to resolve the problem of water logging. Temporary pumps were installed at Chandracharya Chowk and with help of generator, the water was sucked out. But a permanent solution still eludes the people and we wade through 3-feet water at Chandracharya Chowk every monsoon,” rued a senior citizen residing near the chowk.