Gwalmandi Bridge becomes photo-op hub

Flood officials come under fire for conveniently ignoring hard-hit areas

RAWALPINDI:

The Gwalmandi Nullah Leh Bridge, perched at a safe elevation, has turned into a makeshift photo-op location for flood monitoring by the city's top officials, including the commissioner, deputy commissioner, MD WASA, and various assembly members. Despite severe flooding caused by heavy rains over the past three days, these officials have not visited the low-lying areas that have been severely affected.

The rains have left more than half of the city's roads and areas submerged, yet no administrative officers or elected assembly members have ventured into the flooded neighbourhoods to assess the damage firsthand. Instead, elected representatives have chosen to accompany administrative officers to the Gwalmandi Bridge, where they briefly discuss the flood situation, exchange gestures, and issue instructions before leaving in their official vehicles.

Despite the onset of monsoon rains, neither the commissioner, deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners, MD WASA, nor the chief officer of the municipal corporation has visited the affected homes in low-lying areas or the families of the three children who drowned in the floodwaters. No financial assistance has been announced for the victims' families.

Residents of the water-logged areas express frustration, accusing officials and elected representatives of deliberately avoiding their communities. They feel abandoned as no one has visited these areas, even after the floodwaters have receded.

A spokesperson for the district administration defended the choice of Gwalmandi Bridge as the primary flood monitoring site, citing its central location and clear view of the Nullah Leh, which makes it easier to monitor the situation. The spokesperson also claimed that officers conduct periodic surveys in low-lying areas and have identified 19 flood-prone zones in the district.