Overflowing sewage, stranded vehicles in city on red alert day

Panaji: Heavy rainfall battered the state on Tuesday resulting in severe waterlogging along the streets of Panaji. The downpour left many roads and surrounding areas submerged. The worst affected areas included KTC Circle, EDC Patto Plaza area, and the road opposite the state Central Library. The D B Road also remained underwater for several hours.
In various locations, sewage could be seen bubbling up through manhole covers including at Patto.In related incidents, two cars got stuck after it fell into an inundated open drain along D B road. The 18th June road was also waterlogged, although the situation was not as severe as in the past. The heavy rain and waterlogging caused traffic to slow down at the Chimbel-Ribandar junction on the national highway.
The service road near GMC at Bambolim saw severe waterlogging, leaving multiple vehicles stranded. Visitors to GMC had to cross the highway on foot to arrive at the hospital. Later in the day, the fire and emergency services deployed portable and submersible pumps to remove rainwater.
Water gushed from the Atal Setu bridge onto the road below near Merces Circle, resulting in water accumulation below. Rainwater was also seen flowing from the top of the bridge through the drainage holes, inconveniencing motorists travelling on the old Mandovi bridge.
Former mayor Uday Madkaikar criticised the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) for its “unorganised and haphazard” approach to the city’s development, which he said has led to recurring flooding. He questioned the effectiveness of govt’s expenditure on the smart city project.
“Govt spent nearly Rs 1,200 crore on smart city construction works, yet Panaji is not a flood-free zone. If this basic problem is not solved then what is the use of spending public money?” he said. Madkaikar said there was a need for a thorough evaluation of the projects and the implementation of corrections to ensure that the city’s fundamental issues, such as flooding, are effectively resolved.