Haryana battles floods, warns against using NH 1

Chandigarh: Rescue operations were on at a war footing Wednesday in Haryana's Ambala and Kurukshetra districts where major breaches in rivers and canals led to the flooding of vast areas, prompting authorities to warn against travelling on the busy National Highway 1 to New Delhi.

A man cycles on an inundated road during a downpour in New Delhi on Tuesday. PTI Photo by Manvendra Vashist

The army had to be requisitioned Tuesday evening after the heavy rains led to water overflowing in the Ghaggar river and the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, causing breaches. Traffic and electricity supply was disrupted.
Haryana Director General of Police Ranjiv Dalal issued an appeal to the public to avoid travel on the Ambala-Delhi National Highway 1, connecting the national capital to various parts of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.
"We appeal to the public to avoid using National Highway 1 unless it is very important for some days as it has started cracking near Shahabad town in Haryana. However, rescue and repair work is on and everything will be in place at the earliest," said Dalal.

People push a car which broke down in the middle of flooded street after a heavy rain in Gurgaon on Tuesday. PTI Photo

Ambala, which is around 45 km from the state capital Chandigarh, had received over 550 mm rainfall in the last three days. However, there was no rain in Ambala and Kurukshetra Wednesday morning.
"There was three-four feet of water at many places in Ambala district that led to the disruption in power supply at many places and paralysed normal life. It was due to the heavy rain during the last two-three days but now we have controlled the situation," said Ambala Deputy Commissioner S.P. Srow.

A cyclist wades through a waterlogged street after a downpour in Gurgaon on Tuesday. PTI Photo

Due to the flood-like situation in Ambala and Shahabad towns, the evening Delhi-Chandigarh-Kalka Shatabdi was stopped midway leaving scores of passengers, including women and children, in the lurch.


Due to the flood-like situation in Ambala and Shahabad towns, the evening Delhi-Chandigarh-Kalka Shatabdi was stopped midway leaving scores of passengers, including women and children, in the lurch.

Vehicles make their way through a waterlogged street after heavy rains in Gurgaon on Tuesday. PTI Photo

"Due to heavy rains during the past few days, water has been flowing above the danger mark in the Tangri river in Ambala and there was water on the tracks. Therefore, we did not allow the evening Shatabdi to come this side and it was stopped at Panipat," Y.P. Singh, divisional regional manager, Northern Railways, told IANS.

Children play on a flooded pavement after a downpour in New Delhi on Tuesday

"We are closely monitoring the situation and we are in constant touch with the local administration. Depending upon the conditions, we will take further decisions."
Ambala residents were furious with the administration for failing to control the situation.
"The district administration's tall claims about flood management have fallen flat as most parts of Ambala are submerged with the very first showers of the monsoon. Rain water had entered our shops and houses situated in the low-lying area and we are facing severe hardship," said Kamini Devi, an Ambala resident.

Vehicles wade their way through a waterlogged street after a heavy downpour, in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. PTI Photo

Meanwhile, it was a sunny morning in Delhi Wednesday after two days of heavy showers. However, weather officials forecast thundershowers towards the evening. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, which is normal for this time of the season. The humidity was recorded at 81 percent.
"Skies will remain cloudy with one or two spells of rains. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 33 degrees Celsius," said an official of the Indian Meteorological Department. The city recorded 15.88 mm of rain Tuesday.

A girl holds on to her umbrella during a rainstorm in Shimla on Tuesday. PTI Photo

The rains were a welcome relief from the scorching heat for Delhiites, but water logging caused traffic jams in several areas. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received 55 complaints of water logging from various parts of the city Tuesday.
However, hundreds of passengers were stranded at railway stations in Chandigarh and in various towns in Punjab and Haryana with heavy rains leading to trains being delayed or cancelled for the second consecutive day.

A scooterist pushes his vehicle through a water logged street after a downpour, in New Delhi on Tuesday. PTI Photo

"The Shatabdi train from Chandigarh is running two hours later than its normal time. Rainwater is still accumulated in railway tracks in Ambala, making things difficult," G.M. Singh, commercial manager of Northern Railways, Ambala division, told IANS Wednesday.
"The Shatabdi that runs at 7.30 a.m. from New Delhi has been cancelled. Most of the trains in the Ambala division are delayed and some might get cancelled. However, we are expecting the situation to improve if it does not rain during the day," he stated.

Vehicles drive on a flooded street after heavy rains in Ambala on Tuesday. PTI Photo

Heavy rains have led to floods in several parts of the region with the army being called out in Kurukshetra and Ambala districts. Major breaches in rivers and canals led to flooding of vast areas, disrupting traffic and electricity supply.

People walk on flooded tracks at the Ambala station on Tuesday. PTI Photo

Over two-dozen villages in Ludhiana district were also flooded. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal alerted district administrations to keep vigil on vulnerable areas in the state.
Source: Agencies