Patna, July 29 (IANS) Continuous torrential rain since midnight Sunday has thrown normal life out of gear in Bihar’s capital, Patna. While the showers brought relief from the sweltering heat, they also triggered widespread waterlogging, disrupted transport, and led to school closures.
By Tuesday morning, several key localities — Adalatganj, Rajendra Nagar, Kidwai Puri, Kankarbagh, Boring Road, Patliputra Colony, and the Patna Junction area — were submerged under knee-deep water.
Adalatganj was among the worst-hit, with rainwater seeping into homes, damaging furniture, appliances, and books. Residents were seen shifting belongings to higher ground to prevent further loss.
At Patna Junction, passengers waded through waterlogged platforms as auto-rickshaw and taxi services were severely affected. Water accumulation on railway tracks also disrupted train services.
Many schools in Patna remained closed on Tuesday, following the overnight downpour. Commuters and office-goers faced long delays, with two-wheelers breaking down in submerged streets and cars inching forward through the deluge. Several employees reported difficulty in reaching workplaces amid the chaos.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange Alert for Patna and surrounding districts, including Muzaffarpur, Saran, Vaishali, Buxar, Bhojpur, and Gaya. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue for the next three to four days, with overcast conditions persisting.
The Ganga is rising steadily, raising flood concerns in low-lying areas. The district administration has urged residents to avoid going into waterlogged zones.
“It has been raining continuously since last night. Water has entered our homes. We’re considering moving to a safer location temporarily,” said Raju Singh, a resident of waterlogged Adalatganj.
Even areas near the BJP state headquarters have not been spared, with widespread inundation reported.
However, District Magistrate Tyagarajan S.M. maintained there was “no major problem of waterlogging” in the city. He said Patna urban areas recorded 333.20 mm of rainfall till Monday evening. The highest rainfall — 84.60 mm — was recorded in Patna Sadar, followed by 78.40 mm in Kankarbagh and 75.80 mm in Danapur.
“Due to intense rainfall in a short span, waterlogging has occurred in some areas. Our teams from the Municipal Corporation and BUIDCo are working on fast-track water drainage. Eighteen pumps are operating continuously at full capacity,” the DM said.
–IANS
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