Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): For once, Gambhir Dam – the main source of water for the city – didn’t have to wait for rainy season to get filled. The rains in catchment area ensured that the Gambhir Dam’s water level crossed full capacity mark of 2,250 Mc Ft on Saturday morning. By 9pm the water level was maintained at 2,050 Mc Ft by opening two radial gates of the dam.
The catchment area of Gambhir Dam is Yashwant Sagar of Indore and Gambhir. Following heavy rains in Indore, all gates of Yashwant Sagar were opened. Besides, the catchment area had been receiving heavy rains for the last three to four days. All this led to heavy inflow of water in the Gambhir dam on Friday night. This forced the authorities to open first gate around 10:45. However, due to continuous rise in the arrival of water, two more gates were opened late in the night.
Similarly Friday and Saturday’s heavy rains led to rise in Kshipra level. River water submerged many temples at Ram Ghat. The water also started flowing over the Chhoti Rapat, forcing deployment of police near the culvert, as Kshipra overflowed for the third time in a week.
Rainwater entered many houses in low lying Dhancha Bhavan in Ujjain on Saturday. | FP PHOTO
Due to rains in different areas of Ujjain, Dewas and Indore, many big and small temples on the Kshipra banks have been submerged. The rapat to Barnagar Nagar Road too had been closed. The police issued advisory urging people to avoid the rapat.
Meanwhile, several areas and localities of the city were submerged after heavy rain late on Friday night. After the rain alert, collector declared Saturday a holiday in all government and non-government schools from nursery to class 12. Due to the heavy rains, many low-lying areas and intersections of the city were submerged. Water-logging was reported from Atlas Square, KD Gate, Neelganga, Gada Pulia, Durga Colony, Chamunda Mata Square, Dhancha Bhavan and Ashok Nagar. The rainwater entered many colonies and houses. Crossroads turned into ponds.
Humidity and heat, the after affect of heavy rain, added to common man’s woes. After a humid day on Friday, there was heavy rain in the evening and night. Despite rising Kshipra, people tried to go to other ghats from Ramghat.
According to Government Jiwaji Observatory, City received 64.4 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours which ended at 5 pm on Saturday. So far 593.4 mm (about 24 inch) rainfall has been recorded in the city.
