Highest rainfall in Pink City wrecks havoc; rescue work on

JAIPUR: Many city residents woke up in the wee hours on Saturday to a ?blast like' sound of lightening, just before the torrential rains started. From 2am to 11.30am on Saturday, rain continued with a break, wrecking havoc at many low-lying areas including, Girdharipura, Keeron Ki Dhani, Bhatta Basti and other areas. Till 5.30 pm Jaipur had witnessed its highest rainfall for this season so far - 114.1 mm.
When a TOI team visited the low lying areas in the city, including Bhatta Basti people in the locality, where despite government directive, many houses were constructed near the catchment area of Amanishah Nullah, at least four houses collapsed. "All the occupants of the houses were taken to community centre and debris were removed with the help of JCB machines," said a senior officer of the disaster management.
People were seen draining out water with the help of buckets. "Raat bhar se so nahin paye, poora makan toot gaya," said Raiees of Bhatta Basti.
Till 8 am, government authorities and local representatives were absent at the badly affected areas. Later, district collector Jaipur, Krishna Kunal, started monitoring the situation. He had also visited the low-lying areas and asked the officials to provide every possible help to the victims. "Water pumps were installed at the low-lying areas to pump out water at Keeron Ki Dhani, Girdharipura and other areas," said an officer.
Several parts of the city were waterlogged and people have been shifted to safer places, following steady downpour, since last night.
At many areas the mid-day meals were supplied by the Akshay Patra, especially in Keeron Ki Dhani. It is the same place which witnessed floods last year and the government had then promised to rehabilitate these people to safer places.
"We are shifting people from few slum areas to safe places as a precautionary measure. There are reports of two house collapse, though no one has been injured. Water logging continues at several places," said an officer from the district collectorate.
He said accumulated water was being pumped out by 18 mud pumps and sandbags were sent to areas like Madrampura, Girdharipura, Jawahar Nagar kachhi basti, Bhatta Basti, Sarna Dungar and others.
Many roads witnessed water logging and commuters faced a tough time in areas like Railway station, Trimurti Circle, JLN Marg, Sehkar Marg, Khasakothi, Malvia Nagar underpass, Jhotwara, Sikar Road, Tonk Road, Walled City and others.
Meanwhile, the state government has also put two helicopters on a standby for relief work. "We have one helicopter at Phalodi air base in Jodhpur while the other one is at Jaipur and would be used whenever required in any parts of the state," said an officer.