Rain Batters Vijayawada Bringing Relief, Exposing Drainage Woes
The collector has advised residents not to take shelter under trees or near electricity poles during an ongoing rain. He sought special care for children and the elderly. A district-level Command and Control Centre has been activated at the Collectorate.
VIJAYAWADA: Heavy overnight rains brought relief from weeks of intense summer heat, leaving several parts of Vijayawada waterlogged on Thursday and exposing the persistent drainage deficiencies, which continue to disrupt normal life across the city. Roads, underpasses and low-lying areas remained inundated following continuous showers from Wednesday-Thursday midnight. Major stretches remained submerged for several hours, including Bandar Road, Benz Circle, the Benz Circle-Nirmala Convent Junction, NTR Circle, areas surrounding the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), Moghalrajpuram, Ramavarappadu-Nidamamuru road on the Vijayawada-Kolkata National Highway, the mango market area, and roads near the NTR district collectorate. Motorists, pedestrians, and auto-rickshaw drivers faced difficulties navigating through waterlogged roads. Apartment cellars in several localities got flooded, partially submerging parked vehicles. School and college students encountered commuting problems during the early days of their new academic year. According to data from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Vijayawada North recorded 102 mm of rainfall during the 24 hours ending at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, among the highest in the state. Utukuru in NTR district received 84 mm, while Tadepalli and Tenali in Guntur district recorded 82 mm and 66.75 mm respectively. District rainfall figures showed Tiruvuru mandal received 109.6 mm of rain, followed by Vijayawada Rural 95.8 mm, Vijayawada East 92.8 mm, and Vijayawada Central and West 92.4 mm each. Reddigudem recorded 90.9 mm and Gampalagudem 84.2 mm. Peda Avutapalle received 60.5 mm and Machilipatnam 50.75 mm. The rain has raised renewed concerns over the city’s drainage infrastructure. Residents and traders complained that even moderate rainfall is resulting in severe flooding in several localities. Shopkeepers near Benz Circle said recurring inundation had caused repeated losses. Civic activists attributed the problem to inadequate stormwater drains, silt accumulation, blocked canals, and obstructions beneath the National Highway. They called for widening of drainage channels and removal of encroachments. NTR district collector Dr G. Lakshmisha reviewed the situation and directed all departments to remain alert in view of the forecasts of further rainfall. Municipal authorities launched drainage-clearance operations. They have been asked to prevent water stagnation on roads and in public places. Officials from the revenue, police, electricity, panchayat, roads and buildings departments, and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation have been placed on standby to respond to emergencies. Agriculture officials have been directed to assist farmers in minimising crop losses.
The collector has advised residents not to take shelter under trees or near electricity poles during an ongoing rain. He sought special care for children and the elderly. A district-level Command and Control Centre has been activated at the Collectorate. Citizens can report emergencies through helpline number 91549 70454. In the interim, Andhra Pradesh Development Corporation chairperson and managing director D. Lakshmi Parthasarathy inspected the flood-mitigation works along Kondaveeti Vagu and Palavagu in the Amaravati region. She directed engineers to remove obstructions and closely monitor water flow.
