Monsoon Fury: Road cave-ins, tree collapses put Mohali, Panchkula commuters at risk

For the third day in a row, residents of both Mohali Panchkula were left grappling with persistent waterlogging, cave-ins and fallen trees following continued rainfall in the region.

As low-lying areas remain inundated and uprooted trees continue to block key stretches, public frustration is mounting over what many see as the inaction of local authorities.

Waterlogging was reported yet again in Sector 19, Panchkula, particularly around the Railway Under Bridge, which was only cleared by the Municipal Corporation (MC) using drainage pumps by around 2 pm. Several other parts of Sector 19 also experienced flooding, requiring the intervention of area Councillor Harinder Malik, Jai Kaushik and officials who oversaw the drainage operation.

Despite temporary relief, residents have expressed concern over the absence of long-term planning and recurring inconvenience during every downpour.

Simultaneously, multiple incidents of tree collapses were witnessed in the city. Large trees were uprooted on Sector 1 Saketri Road, near the Sector 17 HAREDA Office, the road dividing Sectors 11 and 12, and within Sector 19 itself.

Amidst rising public dissatisfaction, the Citizens’ Welfare Association (CWA) shot a letter to the authorities, pointing out that neither the civic body, nor the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and the Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) have formed flood-control teams or established emergency control rooms, despite the onset of the monsoon.

CWA president SK Nayar said that civic bodies have not completed the basic tasks of clearing road gullies and stormwater drains across the city.

“The rainy season started over a week ago, but none of the agencies appear to have prepared a schedule of field teams to manage the expected problems caused by waterlogging,” the letter read. He questioned whether these agencies are willing to ensure the safety and security of citizens from predictable seasonal disruptions.

Road cave-ins, waterlogged housing societies, power-cuts, meanwhile, left residents in most parts of Mohali hassled.

The Airport Road, the city central thoroughfare, remained blocked for almost an hour in the morning as waterlogging obstructed the movement of traffic near Cheema light points around 9 am.

The police had to create detours to ensure the movement of vehicles.

At Singhpura chowk in Zirakpur, a Haryana Roadways bus of Yamunanagar depot was also stuck in slush as it tried to pass through an unmetalled stretch.

Phase-2 residents, meanwhile, woke up with dirty water entering their houses through sewage pipelines.

“Dirty water began seeping into homes through toilets, wash areas, and ground-level drains, quickly turning into an unstoppable flow of filthy sewerage water. Within hours, living rooms, kitchens, and even bedrooms were submerged under several inches of foul-smelling water. The entire floor was covered in black water, and everything was floating — shoes, furniture, food items, even electrical equipment,” said a Kanika Ahuja, a Phase-2 resident.

Phase-11 residents faced similar issues, alleging that sewage lines from Chandigarh side have overflowed on the road with water entering houses and shops.

“The entire road here is flooded, affecting the traffic here,” said a passerby.

An underground sewage line also gave way outside the CP-67 mall on the main Airport Road today morning, affecting the movement of vehicles.

Residents of Sector 69 also complained of erratic power supply for the past one week.

A local resident, Manan Chaudhary, said, “It is shocking and utterly unacceptable that in 2025, citizens have to live in such primitive conditions while authorities choose to remain indifferent to repeated pleas for help. The electricity department’s utter lack of accountability is disgraceful.”

In Kharar, a huge cave-in near Suntech City on the way to New Chandigarh posed a serious threat to roadusers at a dimly lit road at night. Sector 117 roads and Nijjer Chowk also remained submerged in rainwater throughout the day

Former Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also put the administration officials in a spot by alleging that mortal remains (ashes) kept in the Baltana crematorium were washed away in the overflowing seasonal rivulet. “It is a shame incident for humanity. Who is responsible for it?” he asked in a press conference.

Chandigarh