Aurangabad: Heavy Rain Disturbs Life; Jayakwadi Dam's Gates Opened Again And More

Heavy rain that occurred after a gap of around 20 days on Monday and Tuesday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar affected the routine life of the residents. On Monday, the rain started in the afternoon, but severe rainfall for just a few minutes created a waterlogging situation at various places. Similarly, the atmosphere was cloudy since the afternoon on Tuesday, and the rain began in the evening. The rain started at around 4:30 PM in the city and continued for about 20 minutes. The roads resembled lakes due to the heavy rainfall. Vehicle owners, especially those on two-wheelers, faced severe inconvenience while driving home from work. The MGM observatory recorded 21.9 mm of rainfall by 7 PM, while the Chikalthana observatory recorded 4.2 mm by 5:30 PM.

The atmosphere was cloudy since morning, and residents felt warmth due to the humidity. The entire city experienced waterlogging due to the rainfall lasting just 15 to 20 minutes. The severity of the rainfall was greater in Akashwani, Garkheda, Begumpura, Cantonment, Cidco, Hudco, Bhavsinghpura, and other areas. However, the Chikalthana area experienced only minor showers during the same period. The showers continued at regular intervals until late at night. Experts have opined that rain may continue for the next three days.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with 16 important ministers including the Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers, was in the city in the evening. Shah, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bavankule, and other ministers arrived in the city in the evening. Traffic was jammed on Jalna Road due to the convoy of VIPs. Vehicles were stopped on the road despite the severe rainfall, and residents got wet in the rain while waiting for the convoy to pass. Traffic was closed from Chikalthana to the Seven Hills flyover during the convoy period.

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Jayakwadi dams gates opened again

Heavy rain lashed the catchment areas of the Jayakwadi dam, resulting in an increased influx of water over the past two days. The administration opened 12 gates at 1 AM on Wednesday and an additional six gates at 9:30 AM on the same day. Water is now being released from 18 gates.

Currently, the influx of water into the dam is 4,169 cusecs, and the dam has filled up to 99.78 percent. Considering the overflow from the dam, the administration is releasing 9,432 cusecs of water from the 18 gates into the Godavari basin. This is the second time the gates of the dam have been opened this month, said branch engineer Vijay Kakade.

Heavy rains in the upper dams of Nashik and Ahmednagar filled these reservoirs, leading to water being released from them. The catchment area of the Jayakwadi dam also received satisfactory rainfall in the past few days, which contributed to the increased influx. Given the risk of overflowing, the administration had previously opened the gates on September 9, and now they have opened them again just 15 days later.

The dam has filled up to 99.78 percent, and its water level has reached 1,521.96 feet. Initially, 12 gates were opened at 1 AM on Wednesday, with six more opened later at 9:30 AM. Approximately 500 cusecs of water is being released from the right canal for Majalgaon. Currently, water is being released from Gate Nos. 10, 27, 18, 10, 16, 21, 14, 23, 12, 11, 26, 12, 25, 15, 22, 17, and 20. Residents along the banks of the Godavari River have been alerted, said executive engineer Prashant Jadhav.

Motorcycle, mobile thief arrested

The Cidco police have arrested a hardcore criminal with a police record for stealing mobile phones from residents and using a stolen bike. The police have seized a motorcycle and 11 mobile phones, amounting to ₹2 lakh, from him. The accused has been identified as Shaikh Sajid Shaikh Gafoor (36, Hinanagar, Chikalthana).

According to the details, incidents of mobile phone thefts from houses had been on the rise in the Cidco area over the past few days. During the investigation, the police discovered that Sajid was behind all these thefts. A special team from the Cidco police station received information that he was hiding in an open ground near Sunny Centre on Pisadevi Road. Accordingly, the police team laid a trap and arrested Sajid. He confessed that he had stolen the phones and used a stolen motorcycle. The police action was executed under the guidance of PI Atul Yerme by PSI Pramod Deokate, Subhash Shewale, Mangesh Pawar, Pradeep Dandwate, Sahdev Sable, Vishal Sonawane, and others.