LAHORE - Heavy rain turned city’s roads into pools yesterday, leaving citizens and commuters into constant phase of irritation.

Samanabad Town, which has been going through massive transition of changing of sewerage and water pipelines for five months, faced double trouble as rain filled the dig holes that were supposed to fill up once construction work is completed.

Saliq Saeed, resident of Samanabad Town said: “It is complete mess in the town because government digs up places for sewerage pipelines but never bothers to highlight alternative routes for traffic. Rain turned the under construction road from Samanabad Morr to Bastami chowk and from there to Pakhi Thatti into water-logged areas.”

He said these were the main boulevards in the town and only the residents knew about what extent they were suffering through incompetence and negligence of the government.

Another resident, Rashida Khalid said that the government departments which opened the roads for ‘projects of international standards’ left the residents of Samanabad into nowhere. No sign boards have been mentioned along the construction route in the town and according to residents, the negligence poses serious threat to the lives of the people, especially commuters.

Shezad Naveed, a shop owner at Thokar Niaz Baig, said: “Rain has added woes to our problems as it left almost no passage for commuters to pass road in the traffic chaos especially when unpaved roads are filled with water.”

Another main boulevard along Wahdat Road was also submerged under rainwater at several points. The situation was even worse in different areas of Johar Town, including Allah Ho Chowk, Shoq Chowk, and Shaukat Khanum junction.

Talking to The Nation, citizens termed the city’s district government performance ‘a complete failure’. They were of the view that politicians should visit the streets of their respective constituencies and see by themselves the inefficiency of their performance.

Resident of Johar Town E Block, Fahad Nauman said that there was serious problem aroused right after the rain occurred. He stressed the need of repairing the sewerage system across the town.

Lakhsmi Chowk, Qartaba Chowk, Davis Road, Lawrence Road, Majid Nizami Road, Shamma Chowk, Shadman Chowk faced serious challenge of rainwater as the citizens found themselves in middle of nowhere while stranded in rainwater. Motorists were seen struck on water-logged roads for hours.

However, DCO (r) Muhammad Usman visited several areas inundated with water and directed the Lahore Waste Management Company and Waster and Sanitation Agency to work speedily to facilitate the citizens and clear the water logged areas.

Residents of Bhagwan Pura also urged the government to make strategy to prevent the situation which the city of over 10 million is facing after the heavy monsoon rain.