Heavy rains pile up problems for Taj city

Several spells of heavy showers in the past two days have exposed the Agra Municipal Corporation's lack of preparedness to tackle waterlogging on roads and in low-lying areas, residents have lamented.

"The whole city is in a shambles, mohallas and colonies cut off from the main roads and with drains overflowing, motorists have to sail through or get stranded," said insurance agent Sudhier Gupta, after somehow pulling his vehicle out from the water-logged Nagar Nigam crossing.

"The entire M.G. Road, the lifeline of the city, is under water at six places," said Vishal, a photo studio owner at the St John's College crossing.

However, K.P. Tripathi, deputy commissioner of the municipal corporation, said: "We are doing our best and have pumps installed for siphoning off rain water. Teams are responding to calls."

Dalit colonies and those along the drains have had a rough time these last few days that the city got heavy showers, said ex-corporator Deepak.

"Even tourist vehicles got stuck up on the Yamuna Kinara road coming via the Yamuna Expressway, due to water-logging under the Strachey Bridge," he said.

The Yamuna water level continues to rise after copious discharges from Hathini Kund and Gokul Barrages.

"The river is flowing full but fear of its breaching the danger mark appears remote at the moment," a district official said.

The city is inching ahead to meet its annual rainfall average of 650 mm. The current deficit is below 200 mm but with the monsoon season lasting till September end, the target is most likely to be exceeded, said Ravi Singh, a progressive farmer of Barauli Aheer block.