Mohali: The municipal corporation has launched an extensive drive to clean roadsides, road berms and road crossings across the city ahead of the monsoon season. Mayor Sarabjit Singh Samana has directed the officials to carry out the work on war footing and ensure that all cleaning operations were completed before the arrival of the rains.As part of the drive, accumulated mud, dust, dry leaves and other debris are being removed from roadsides, central berms and crossings in different sectors and phases of the city. The mayor has also instructed senior officials to conduct daily inspections of the ongoing work and closely monitor its progress to ensure timely completion.Mayor Samana said the objective of the exercise was to prevent the flow of mud and debris into the storm water drainage network during the rainy season, which often lead to blockage of road gullies and waterlogging in residential areas.“Directions have been issued to the senior officials to personally inspect the ongoing cleaning works and ensure that all roadsides, berms and crossings are cleaned of mud, dust and dry leaves before the onset of monsoons,” said Samana.Residents have welcomed the initiative, saying such large-scale preventive cleaning had been neglected for several years and was often undertaken only after the monsoon had already begun.Rajinder Singh, a resident of Phase IV, said the timely action by the municipal corporation could significantly reduce the inconvenience faced by residents during heavy rainfall.“Earlier, the mud and dry leaves accumulated along the roadsides and on the berms used to get washed away with rainwater and eventually clog the storm water drains, resulting in flooding in residential areas. Since this work has been started well before the onset of monsoons, it appears that residents may face much less inconvenience due to waterlogging this year,” he said.Amar Singh, a resident of Phase 3B1, also highlighted the importance of preventive cleaning measures.“The major reason behind flooding in many residential areas is the blockage of road gullies caused by polythene bags, mud and dry leaves flowing into the drainage system. Regular cleaning before the monsoon can help prevent such situations,” he said.Municipal corporation officials stated that teams had been deployed in various parts of the city and the cleaning campaign would continue over the coming days to ensure smooth drainage and minimize the risk of waterlogging during the monsoon season.
