The Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) has initiated cleaning and desilting operations on the Jacob Drain to prepare for the monsoon season, aiming to enhance the city's stormwater drainage network and mitigate flooding risks in low-lying areas.
Work underway at Sullar village
At Sullar village, a poke lain machine was observed removing accumulated silt and wild vegetation from the drain, loading the debris into a tractor-trolley. A JCB machine was engaged in cleaning operations approximately 100 metres away.
Rajinder Kumar, a resident living opposite the drain, expressed concern over the slow pace of work. He said the speed of cleaning and desilting raised doubts about the MC's claim of completing the task before the monsoon onset.
Tender and jurisdiction details
The civic body recently floated a tender worth Rs 21.02 lakh for cleaning and desilting the drain from Kale Mooh Di Bagichi to Sullar Pully under its jurisdiction. The Jacob Drain stretches nearly 20 km through Patiala, but the MC is responsible for only a 5-km portion; the remaining stretch falls under the state's drainage department.
Former mayor calls exercise an 'eyewash'
Former Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu criticized the cleaning effort as an 'eyewash'. He stated that during his tenure, the MC undertook a Rs 16-crore project to upgrade the drain, including constructing retaining walls, strengthening side linings, and covering portions of the 18-foot-wide channel to create walkways and green spaces.
“The Jacob Drain was transformed into a modern urban drainage corridor. However, lack of maintenance during the past two years has resulted in the accumulation of untreated sewage, weeds and silt, undoing much of the work carried out earlier,” Sharma alleged.
Mayor assures timely completion
Mayor Kundan Gogia, however, said the contractor has been directed to complete the cleaning and desilting work before the rainy season. The Jacob Drain, which passes through the heart of the city and touches the MC office boundary, plays a crucial role in carrying stormwater out of Patiala. Accumulation of silt, garbage, and wild vegetation has reduced its carrying capacity, increasing the threat of waterlogging in nearby localities during heavy rainfall.
Drain's route and discharge
Originating near Kale Mooh Di Bagichi in Raghomajra, the drain flows past several key city landmarks before reaching Sullar Road Pully and ultimately discharging into the Ghaggar river basin.
