Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday took stock of the situation in Nagpur after heavy rains brought life to a standstill and sought long term measures to address issues of waterlogging and flooding here.
Gadkari, who is a BJP MP from here, said the heavy rainfall was unexpected, adding he had seen such continuous lightning in the city for the first time.
The situation prevailing due to the rains was taking place after 15 to 16 years, Gadkari said.
He would attend a rain-related meeting tonight with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the district administration, Gadkari said.
The Union minister said he would request the Maharashtra government to come up with measures to ensure water from 'nullahs' (major drains) does not gush into adjoining localities in case of heavy rains.
Heavy rains over a span of few hours flooded many parts of Nagpur city, following which more than 400 people, including 70 students from a school for the speech and hearing-impaired, were rescued.
An elderly woman lost her life due to the downpour.
Water gushed into homes and residential areas and roads looked like rivers after the city received about 90 mm of rain between 2 am and 4 am on Saturday.
The weather department has issued an orange alert in the district for the next 24 hours. The administration has declared a holiday for schools and colleges as a precautionary measure.