Kharar Turns Into City of Puddles Amidst Heavy Rain, Residents Slam Government Negligence

Kharar, a prominent town near Mohali in Punjab, has once again become the center of public outcry as heavy rainfall has inundated nearly every part of the city, turning roads and residential areas into waterlogged puddles and streams. The flooding has significantly disrupted daily life and raised fresh concerns over the inadequate civic infrastructure and administration.

Long-standing issues with drainage and waterlogging have resurfaced with the recent rains, with many areas such as Kharar-Landran Road, Nijjar Road, Khooni Majra Road, Arya College Road, and societies like Shivalik City, Nirvana Green, LIC Colony, and others severely affected by the flooding. Residents reported struggling to step out of their homes due to the water stagnation that has turned streets into ponds and lanes into lakes.

Senior BJP leader Vineet Joshi, who toured Kharar during the rains, sharply criticized the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the local MLA Anmol Gagan Maan, who also serves as a Cabinet Minister, for their "negligence and incompetence". Joshi highlighted that this has been an ongoing problem that has affected the city repeatedly in 2022, 2023, and now 2025, with little to no effective remedial action taken by the MLA or the Local Bodies Minister of Punjab. He described Kharar as having "now become the number one city for waterlogging in Punjab," blaming the authorities for ignoring the plight of residents.

Local residents echo the sentiments, condemning the failure to address the infrastructure inadequacies. Tarsem Singh, a resident of JTPL society, remarked that the repeated floods are a clear sign of administrative neglect.

In response to the crisis, the Mohali administration has taken some immediate steps. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Komal Mittal visited the Kharar-Landran road and directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to carry out urgent repair work. Temporary measures such as deploying pumps by the Kharar Municipal Council to drain out stagnant rainwater have been implemented to provide some relief to commuters.

For a long-term solution, the DC informed that the sewer water outflow from Shivalik City and adjoining areas would be connected to the newly under-construction Shivalik Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Pipeline laying tenders have been allotted, with work set to commence once the weather improves. This measure is expected to permanently alleviate the sewerage drainage problem and curb future waterlogging incidents.

The situation in Kharar illustrates the challenges faced by rapidly growing urban areas in Punjab with respect to infrastructure resilience and government accountability. As monsoon rains continue, the residents await both immediate and sustainable solutions to prevent Kharar from turning into a "city of puddles" in the years ahead.