Chandigarh, July 22: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued rainfall in Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana through Thursday, issuing a yellow alert for heavy showers in the region.
The city recorded 40 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, making it the second-wettest spot in the region after Hoshiarpur, which received 96 mm. The relentless rain triggered waterlogging at several low-lying areas and key junctions in Chandigarh, leading to massive traffic snarls and widespread inconvenience during peak morning and afternoon hours.
One of the worst-affected spots was the ever-busy Tribune Chowk, where stagnant water on all sides brought traffic to a crawl, causing jams that extended up to 2 to 3 kilometers. Commuters were left stranded for hours, with many expressing frustration over the absence of traffic police at major intersections.
“Whenever and wherever there is any traffic chaos or disruption, you will not find any cops. Otherwise, they are seen everywhere trying to catch violators,” said Suresh Kumar, who was stuck at the GMCH-32 roundabout for over 30 minutes in the morning.
Aakriti Sood, another commuter, said she repeatedly called the traffic helpline and even posted alerts on social media handles of the police, but received no response. “There was not a single cop to manage the jammed intersections,” she said.
Kartik Sharma, who had a 9:30 a.m. appointment with a doctor at GMCH-32, said he couldn’t reach on time. “I was stuck on the road till 10 a.m.,” he said. Officegoers and school-bound children faced similar difficulties navigating the inundated roads and gridlocked traffic.
The heavy rain also brought a significant drop in temperatures. Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 27.7°C, down 6.5 degrees from Sunday, and 6.1 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature stood at 26.8°C — a fall of 1.5 degrees in 24 hours.
Neighbouring Mohali and Panchkula recorded 20 mm and 22 mm of rainfall, respectively, contributing to the broader wet conditions across the Tricity area.
With more rainfall forecast in the coming days, authorities are likely to come under increased pressure to manage traffic, drainage, and public safety more effectively.
