Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Jul: Persistent rainfall in the hills has begun to impact the plains and the water in the rivers is also getting swollen. Haridwar today witnessed a sudden surge in the Sookhi Nadi at Khadkhadi. Two cars parked on the causeway were swept away in the strong current, creating panic at the site. The Police reached promptly after receiving information and, with the help of a JCB and crane, managed to retrieve the vehicles. Fortunately, no loss of life was reported in the incident.
It may be recalled that such episodes in the Sookhi Nadi are not new, as vehicles of visitors have been swept away earlier too. A new bridge is being constructed here from the Kumbh Mela budget, but the work is still underway. Heavy rain this morning suddenly brought water into the river, and before people could react, the cars were washed down from the causeway. Luckily, the water level in the Ganga was low, and the vehicles got stuck after sliding down.
The Sookhi Nadi, located near Khadkhadi cremation ground, flows directly into the Ganga and often swells with heavy rainfall in the hills. Some people had gathered at the cremation ground today for a funeral, leaving their vehicles parked on the causeway. As the cars were swept away, chaos broke out, but the strong current deterred anyone from taking risks. The Police arrived swiftly and, after the flow subsided, pulled out the vehicles with machinery.
Though the bridge under construction could not be completed in time for the Kanwar Mela, the construction continues and the officials expect it to be ready before the upcoming Kumbh. Warning boards have been installed near the Sookhi Nadi advising against parking vehicles on the causeway, yet people continue to leave them there while visiting the cremation ground. Parking vehicles in this spot during the monsoon is fraught with danger. Haridwar SP City Abhay Singh said police acted quickly to recover the vehicles and appealed to visitors not to park in the river area but to use designated parking facilities provided by the administration. There is perhaps a need to deploy police officials or home-guards during the monsoon who can ask the visitors to park their vehicles elsewhere.
