Bhopal: A brief spell of heavy afternoon rain on Wednesday once again exposed the fragility of the city’s urban infrastructure, with key roads waterlogged and traffic thrown out of gear in several localities.Though the showers were short, they were intense enough to leave commuters stranded and residential areas battling ankle- to knee-deep water in parts of the state capital. According to the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) emergency call centre, two major incidents were reported during the downpour.The first was in the Nawab Siddique Hasan Talab–Munshi Hasan Talab area, where drain overflow led to waterlogging, prompting dewatering and rescue operations. No casualties or property damage were reported, officials said. The area remains under the National Green Tribunal’s scanner over liquid waste disposal, and the BMC has spent around Rs 5 crore in the past two years on protecting the cascading lakes there.The second incident occurred near Nadra Bus Stand, now the focal point of underground metro construction in the old city. A recently upgraded PWD road, built at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore, failed to prevent waterlogging, with large stretches submerged. Traffic diversions and barricaded U-turns between Alpana Talkies and Nadra Bus Stand further aggravated congestion, forcing motorists to take longer routes through flooded lanes.Waterlogging and slow-moving traffic were also reported from Ayodhya Bypass Road, Karond intersection, Sindhi Colony and adjoining areas.Residents and daily commuters said the recurrence of flooding after even brief showers highlighted long-standing deficiencies in stormwater drainage, road gradients and urban planning, suggesting the problem was systemic rather than an isolated consequence of heavy rain.
