Wall of Jaipur’s Amber Palace, built in 1990s to keep elephants from falling, collapses during heavy rain

State Archaeological Department Director Pankaj Dharandra told The Indian Express: “This wall was built when the elephant ride started in Jaipur in the 1990s at Amber Palace area. It was built as a security measure to prevent elephants from falling off the hill. Due to the continuous rainfall since morning on Saturday, the wall collapsed. An assessment of the situation will be done, and it is expected to be rebuilt soon.”

As per information provided by the Meteorological Department of Rajasthan, the Amber area of Jaipur received 33 mm of rainfall since morning. In other areas of the city, 23 mm of rainfall was reported. Heavy downpour was also reported in rural areas of Jaipur, including Chomu, Sambhar, Phagi and Shahpura. In Chomu, 102 mm of rainfall was reported.

The incident happened around 2 pm on Saturday. While a motorcycle and an e-rickshaw were crushed under the debris, no one sustained any injuries. (Express Photo by Rohit Jain Para)

Several places saw waterlogging as a result. In Muhana Mandi, basements of shops and business establishments were filled with water, and traders had to keep pumping it out. Members of the Jaipur Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers Association in Muhana Mandi said they have been submitting memorandums to the administration and officials regarding this problem, but no permanent solution has been found.

According to the Met Department, there is a possibility of moderate to heavy rain in Jaipur city and its surrounding areas for the next three-four days.