India News | Flood-hit Chitrakoot: Road-cleaning Drive Underway as Authorities Monitor Rising Mandakini River

Satna (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 1 (ANI): A road-cleaning drive is underway in flood-hit Chitrakoot as authorities work to clear mud and sludge from roads following the devastating floods, with JCBs, fire tankers and tractors being deployed for the operation.

The cleaning drive is being carried out by Smart City Satna and Nagar Nigam Satna as homes and shops in several parts of the holy town continue to bear the impact of the floods.

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Meanwhile, Satna Police have intensified patrolling along the Mandakini River amid a rise in its water level and appealed to tourists and locals to avoid entering the river and move towards safer areas.

Satna Collector said on X that water levels in the Mandakini and Semrawal rivers were also rising, though the situation was not yet a cause for concern.

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"The water levels in Mandakini and Semrawal are also rising. The situation is not yet a cause for concern. Tamas gates are open. Instructions have been given to all SDMs to monitor their areas. An appeal has been made to people to stay away from flood-affected rivers and streams," the Collector said.

https://x.com/Collector_Satna/status/2094625133189300288

Police teams are closely monitoring areas along the riverbank and have evacuated houses, settlements and ashrams located close to the river as a precautionary measure. Public announcements are also being made to warn people against approaching the river.

Earlier, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), Chitrakoot, Rajesh Singh Banjare, told ANI, "Police are continuously monitoring the situation and the houses, settlements, and ashrams along the riverbank have been evacuated. We are also continuously making announcements. SDRF and NDRF teams are also patrolling the area along with the police. We will make every effort to ensure that there are no casualties."

The worst flood to hit Chitrakoot in two decades has submerged parts of the town and damaged homes, shops and infrastructure after days of relentless rainfall caused the Mandakini River to swell.

The floodwaters also swept away the critical Ramghat-Hanuman Dhara bridge over the Mandakini River on August 29. The bridge, built in 1985 using a cantilever design, suffered structural damage after the river rose approximately seven metres above the historical High Flood Level (HFL).

Gopal Singh, Chief Engineer (Bridge) of the Madhya Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD), said the bridge would take around eight to nine months to rebuild after the water level stabilises.

"This bridge will be constructed after the water level stabilises. The deficiencies of the bridge will be rectified; it will take about 8-9 months to rebuild this bridge. On the upcoming Diwali festival, many tourists come here to visit Ramghat and the Mandakini River. Keeping this in mind, a temporary bridge, a pontoon (Pipa bridge), will be built, which will provide more convenience to the tourists," Singh told ANI.

Explaining the damage, Singh said, "This bridge was constructed in 1985 using a cantilever design. Due to heavy rainfall over the past two days, the water level rose approximately seven meters above the High Flood Level (HFL), causing a slab to become dislodged."

"We will work on restoring the slab and aim to complete the task as quickly as possible to resume traffic flow. The most immediate course of action involves utilising the existing sections of the bridge after carrying out some repairs. However, since the floodwaters have not yet receded, we need to inspect the foundations for any potential damage and rectify any issues found there. Alongside addressing these structural defects, we will install new spans," he added.

Work on the temporary pontoon bridge and inspection of the bridge foundations will begin once the water level of the Mandakini River normalises, authorities said.

Authorities have urged residents and tourists to strictly follow safety advisories and stay away from rivers and streams in flood-affected areas. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)