With neighbouring Mohali district suffering ₹64 crore in losses from heavy rains and floods over the past fortnight, Chandigarh too has been left grappling with 35 road cave-ins triggered by ageing underground pipelines, threatening a severe financial blow to the already cash-strapped municipal corporation.
According to details compiled by the MC’s road wing, leakages and breakages in decades-old underground water, sewer and stormwater drainage lines have caused significant soil erosion beneath city roads, leading to the sinkholes.
While the civic body has yet to make an official assessment of financial losses, officials estimate the repair works could run into several crores. The repair process will be time-consuming, as the underground pipelines must first be restored before resurfacing the damaged road stretches, a task expected to take at least two months.
Some of the worst-hit areas include the road outside girls’ college in Sector 42, the V-5 road in Sector 44C, stretches in Sector 5, Sector 10, Sector 17 and Sector 24, and a cycle track near the CITCO petrol pump in Sector 9. Severe damages were also reported in Dhanas and Dadumajra. Alarmingly, three large sinkholes appeared right outside the residence of the Punjab governor and UT administrator (on the route from the Golf Range to Punjab Raj Bhawan), caused by underground water pipe damage.
“The underground pipes of Chandigarh are decades old, resulting in frequent leakages and damages. Over time, the leaking water washes away the soil beneath roads, weakening the surface and causing cave-ins. The only sustainable solution is phased replacement of pipelines at regular intervals,” said an MC official.
In similar destruction during the 2023 monsoon, unprecedented rainfall in July had damaged various sewer and storm water drainage pipelines, causing several roads to give way. The subsequent repair work, lasting months, cost the civic body over ₹5 crore.
This year too, the city has already borne the brunt of an unusually intense monsoon season. Chandigarh has received 1,007.2 mm of rainfall so far this season, 32.6% above normal. Except for the record-breaking July 2023 rains, this is the heaviest monsoon rainfall in a decade. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported 211.9 mm of rain in just the first week of September, surpassing the month’s average of 131.4 mm, making it the wettest September since 2018. More heavy spells are expected in the coming days.
Due to the incessant downpours, the UT administration was compelled to open the floodgates of Sukhna Lake for an unprecedented 10 times this season after the water level reached danger levels. The released water flowed through the Sukhna Choe to meet the Ghaggar river, damaging bridges along the route.
MC commissioner Amit Kumar said, “A detailed survey is underway to prepare a final list of damages. MC teams have already started minor repairs and teams have been instructed to repair the underground pipes at the earliest. Potholes are being filled across the city for safe commute.”