8 customer vehicles swept away in flood, retrieved with cranes

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Floodwaters of the Sukhna river swept away eight customer vehicles parked for repair at garages near the Naregaon garbage depot. The garage owner struggled for hours before retrieving them with the help of cranes. The flood also hit warehouse traders, tea vendors, and cattle feed sellers in the area, disrupting their businesses.

Five houses near the garbage depot were surrounded by water. Fortunately, residents escaped without major damage. The fire brigade reached the spot for assistance, informed local resident Dharamsingh Bhadoria.

Houses and warehouses under water

As the Sukhna river, originating from the Palshi-Waki hills, overflowed its banks, floodwaters entered several houses and commercial warehouses in the Mandki–Naregaon garbage depot area. The eight cars washed away in the strong current were finally retrieved after strenuous efforts with cranes.

- Amir Khan Gulab Khan

“Encroachments must go”

“The encroachments along the river and the protection wall constructed by the municipal corporation must be removed immediately. Otherwise, the area may face even greater financial losses and possibly loss of life in the future,” warned local farmer prof Pandurang Mandkikar.

School goes under water

The flood disrupted daily life and triggered fear among residents. Garbage clogged under the bridge near the garbage depot diverted the river’s natural course, submerging a nearby school. Luckily, since schools were shut, a major tragedy was averted, said Nizam Shah.

Locals blame authorities

Angry residents accused the municipal corporation of negligence. They alleged that the protection wall built for the garbage depot and illegal constructions inside the riverbed narrowed the river’s natural channel. As a result, the obstructed flow forced water into riverside houses and warehouses. Stagnant sewage and rainwater also spilled onto the roads, making commuting extremely difficult for vehicles and pedestrians alike.