Punjab deploys 1,000+ dewatering machines in province-wide monsoon drainage drive

• WASA, district administrations and municipal teams accelerate drainage in major cities after torrential rains

• CM Maryam Nawaz personally monitors operations as all 41 districts undertake round-the-clock rainwater clearance

 LAHORE: As heavy monsoon rains continued to lash Punjab, the provincial government on Saturday intensified province-wide drainage operations, deploying more than 1,000 modern dewatering machines across all 41 districts to ensure the swift removal of rainwater from roads, streets and neighbourhoods, while Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif personally monitored the operation and remained in constant contact with district administrations.

According to official sources, the large-scale operation is being carried out under the direct supervision of the chief minister, with modern drainage machinery deployed simultaneously across all 41 districts for the first time in Punjab’s history to accelerate rainwater disposal and minimise public inconvenience.

The chief minister is in direct contact with all district administrations and is personally monitoring the performance of government departments involved in the operation.

Authorities said rainwater had been cleared promptly from various areas of the Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sargodha divisions following the downpours.

Officials and staff of the district administrations, Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASA) and municipal corporations are participating in drainage operations in Wazirabad, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhelum, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Narowal, Sahiwal and other cities.

In Hafizabad, dewatering pumps were used to remove accumulated rainwater from Misri Khan, Sagar Road, College Road, the Post Office area and Madranwala Chowk. The chief minister is personally overseeing the operation.

In Mandi Bahauddin, WASA teams ensured the timely drainage of rainwater through the use of modern machinery.

The government said arrangements had also been made to ensure drainage, public safety and assistance in rural areas alongside urban centres.

Citizens appreciated the swift drainage efforts, saying rainwater had been cleared within a few hours of the heavy rainfall.

Sharing their views, residents said that in the past, neither machinery nor staff would arrive after heavy rains, whereas this was the first time that both were available and working in the field.