Wasa removes rainwater from city roads in less than 12hours

LAHORE : Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) successfully managed to remove rainwater from the city roads in less than 12 hours after record-breaking 283-mm downpour.

Tuesday’s unprecedented rainfall was a test case for Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), which it successfully and actively tackled.

As pre-monsoon arrangements, Wasa had declared 22 city points sensitive and established its camps. A retired senior Wasa official said in 1980 when 260-mm rain inundated the city, rainwater remained on city roads for two to three weeks.

“Lakshmi Chowk kept under three to four feet water for at least 25 days,” he said, adding clearance of Lakshmi Chowk after 282-mm rain in just 5 hours clearly showed the efforts of today’s Wasa.

Figures collected by The News revealed that Firdous Market was cleared in 6 hours, GPO Chowk was cleared of rainwater in 2 hours, Nabha Road was cleared in 3 hours and 20 min, Kashmir Road was cleared in 5 hours and 15 min, Cooper Road was cleared in 3 hours and 45 min, Do Moria Pull was cleared in 3 hours and 15 min, Lytton Road was cleared in 6 hours and 15 min, Qartaba Chowk was cleared in 3 hours and 45 min, Lawrence Road was cleared in 3 hours and 40 min, Haji Camp was cleared in 2 hours, Eik Moria Pull was cleared in 5 min, Chowk Na Khuda was cleared in 40 min, Sheranwala Gate was cleared in 2 hours, Bhatti Gate was cleared in 5 hours, Sultan Ahmed Road Ichra was cleared in 7 hours, Tajpura was cleared in 6 hours and 45 min, Model Town Link Road was cleared in 2 hours, Tikka Chowk Johar Town was cleared in 6 hours and 15 min, Shah Jamal was cleared in 3 hours and Garden Town was cleared in 1 hour and 45 min.

Wasa Managing Director Zahid Aziz said the unprecedented 283-mm rain occurred after 38 years and Wasa is also ready for any new such spells. He said drainage system of Lahore already drained out 540 million gallons of 43-inche rainwater due to which it took 5 to 6 hours for complete clearance.

Answering a question about stagnant rainwater in the city, he said rainwater can be seen at non-Wasa areas such as Gaddafi Stadium, Walton Road, Cantonment and DHA areas, Model Town and many other private housing societies.

He said clearance of rainwater from public parks is the responsibility of PHA. He added rainwater in parks is good for refilling underground water table.