Brief but intense spell of rain cools down Nashik city

Nashik: Heavy rain lashed parts of Nashik city for a brief while on Tuesday afternoon, bringing much-needed relief to residents facing weekly water cuts due to a delayed monsoon and depleting dam levels.

The showers, however, exposed gaps in civic preparedness.The rain, which began around 12.30pm and lasted nearly half an hour, affected key parts of the city, slowing vehicular movement on highways and major arterial roads. Panchavati and Cidco divisions were among the worst hit, with traffic congestion building up amid intense rainfall. Waterlogging was reported from several locations, particularly on the Pathardi side in Cidco and in low-lying pockets of Panchavati.Commuters faced delays as rainwater accumulated on dug-up stretches, where ongoing utility works have left roads partially restored. The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been constructing utility ducts across the city, but incomplete restoration aggravated the situation during the downpour.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Nashik received 18.9mm rainfall in roughly 30 minutes. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Wednesday and Thursday, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning, light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph at isolated locations.

Light to moderate showers are also expected on Friday and Saturday.The rainfall comes amid an ongoing water crisis, with the NMC implementing a once-a-week water cut every Saturday since June 20. “The fresh spell, along with the IMD’s forecast of continuous rainfall over the next few days, is expected to offer some relief to both the administration and residents,” officials said.Despite identifying around 210 waterlogging-prone spots, the civic body is yet to eliminate these vulnerabilities ahead of monsoon.

Simultaneously, work on 28 major roads spanning nearly 150 km under Kumbh Mela infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,270 crore is underway, but immediate drainage issues remain unresolved.Beyond the city, rainfall was also recorded in Chandwad, Niphad and Igatpuri, offering relief to farmers awaiting monsoon onset for kharif sowing. The delayed monsoon had stalled agricultural activities, but consistent showers expected over the coming days may allow sowing operations to begin next week.The city had witnessed overcast conditions and light showers on Monday. The maximum temperature dropped from 36.3°C on Sunday to 31.7°C on Tuesday, providing further respite from the heat.