Islamabad:Heavy rain inundated parts of the Islamabad Expressway on Tuesday, disrupting traffic on the key route used by thousands of commuters daily and exposing weaknesses in the city’s rainwater drainage system.
Several sections of the Expressway, including areas along the VVIP route, were submerged by rainwater, severely affecting traffic flow. Water also accumulated at I-8 Markaz and other parts of the capital, while the situation reportedly worsened on Park Road near Chak Shahzad, where a large quantity of water accumulated.
Scores of private vehicles were reportedly trapped in floodwater, with some sustaining damage as motorists struggled to navigate the submerged roads.As heavy rain continued, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Sohail Ashraf visited urban and rural areas to monitor drainage, dewatering and rescue operations.
Accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Ashraf conducted field visits to Sector E-11, Ghouri Town and other vulnerable areas, according to a CDA spokesman.During the visits, he reviewed arrangements for drainage and dewatering, traffic management and emergency response measures aimed at providing relief and ensuring the safety of residents.
The Chief Officer of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad, Director General Islamabad Water, Director General Emergency Services and concerned assistant commissioners also remained in the field to supervise operations in their respective areas.
The CDA chairman inspected major roads, low-lying points, interchanges, underpasses and other vulnerable locations to assess the impact of the rainfall and the effectiveness of drainage arrangements.
He directed all relevant departments and field teams to immediately remove accumulated rainwater and take emergency measures to keep traffic movement safe and uninterrupted.Officials briefed Ashraf on the overall rainfall situation, drainage arrangements, deployment of manpower, availability of dewatering machinery and emergency response measures.
