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Time of India

Rain wreaks havoc in Dharwad

Dharwad: Heavy and incessant rains in Dharwad for more than three hours on Thursday evening threw life out of gear forcing people to be indoors as the roads and the fields are flooded. Residents of low-lying areas in Dharwad faced several challenges as a heavy downpour caused severe flooding in several areas. The relentless rain overwhelmed the drainage system, inundating homes and leaving property owners frustrated and angry over the authorities' lack of preparedness. The situation was dire in the Old Dharwad area and around the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), where choked drains and neglected gutters exacerbated the flooding, resulting in rainwater flowing onto the streets and inundating homes, leaving residents scrambling to salvage their belongings. Areas such as Haveripeth, Bhavikatti Plot, and the vicinity of the KSRTC bus depot were among the worst affected. Residents spent the night pumping out water from their homes and moving valuables to higher ground. Basavaraj Ghali, a local resident, expressed frustration with the civic authorities, stating that they only seem to respond to such disasters after the damage is done. Similar complaints were echoed throughout the affected areas, with many residents pointing to the lack of action from the authorities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The situation on PB Road, which connects Hubballi and Dharwad, was also problematic. The road, including the BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) corridor, was completely waterlogged, creating further challenges for commuters. Over a dozen new cars were stranded in the rainwater near KMF and NTTF. Local residents, braving the heavy downpour, assisted vehicle owners by helping them move their cars and providing temporary shelter. "This is the fourth time in just 15 days that the roads have been flooded," said Basu Patil, a vehicle owner. Urban flooding Former PWD secretary and chief engineer GC Tallur said solving the problem of urban flooding happens because of unscientific urban planning. "It gets further aggravated by poor engineering skills of urban local bodies. Proper planning, construction and maintenance of urban stormwater drainage is no rocket science. But, lack of knowledge and other reasons of which everyone is aware, from urban planning bodies to urban local bodies sows the seeds of the problem and aggravates it," he said. "Urban planning bodies and urban local bodies should be ashamed of such a situation in this 21st century when India constructed world's highest railway bridge over river Chenab in Kashmir," Tallur remarked. HDMC responds In response to flooding, the HDMC launched a cleaning operation to clear the clogged drains and gutters using an earthmover. A team of pourakarmikas (civic workers) was seen clearing the drainage system at Bhusappa Chowk, with plans for further action in other affected areas. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .