Pilgrim city limping back to normalcy

Tirupati: The pilgrim city which was battered by heavy rains for two days causing large-scale inundation in the city, is limping back to normalcy with the respite in rains since early morning on Friday.

In the main town, the water receded in most areas except in half-a-dozen localities including the Lakshmipuram circle, Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam Road, the junction near TVS showroom on AIR bypass road and MR Palli areas while in the colonies in the extension areas and city outskirts water-logging is continuing.

Much to the relief of denizens, traffic was resumed in both the RUBs in the city connecting the north and south side of the pilgrim city and also water receded in the localities on the banks of Malvani Gundam and Kapila Theertham streams passing through the city.

However, slush and rubbish left behind due to the flash floods in most areas is still to be cleared causing inconvenience to the people. With no rain since early morning, shops and businesses, vendors selling fruits and vegetables resumed in most parts.

Meanwhile, city MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy along with Mayor Dr Sirisha visited the low-lying areas where water-logging and drains flowing on the roads were still continuing on Friday. In his 8-hour long inspection, he covered the areas including Poolavani Gunta, Auto Nagar, Sivajyothi Nagar, Gayatri Nagar etc. and assured the affected all required help from the Municipal Corporation authorities.

He directed the SPDCL authorities to strive to resume power supply in the areas where it was stopped as a safety measure during rain and also the civic and police authorities to trace out the person identified Subba Rao who was swept away in the flash floods at Lakshmipuram circle, one of the worst rain-hit area in the city. Special Officer deputed by the Chief Minister to rain-hit Chittoor district PS Pradyumna along with Corporation Commissioner PS Girisha and RDO Kanakanarasa Reddy inspected the rain-hit areas Perur tank, Madhura Nagar, Jai Bhim Colony and Lakshmipuram circle and instructed the revenue authorities to take up food and water supply to the people in the affected areas.

He said in the last 20 years, it was the highest rainfall the district received resulting in flash floods and added that as per MET department, there is no chance of heavy rains now. Authorities have taken up assessment of loss due to the heavy rain and suitable relief would be provided based on the report, he added.