Cuttack: With heavy rain lashing Cuttack for the second consecutive day, large parts of the city were inundated on Friday leaving residents marooned.Areas such as High Court Chowk, CDA, Badambadi, Taladanda canal road, OMP Square, Station Bazaar, Rover's Street, Sutahat and Buxi Bazaar remained submerged, throwing life in disarray.

Locals blamed poor planning and inadequate pre-monsoon preparations for the waterlogging. "Desiltation is nothing but an eyewash. Every year they do it just weeks before the rains, when the real problem lies in the clogged, unreachable drains in the inner lanes. Mechanised cleaning is hardly used in these areas," said Ramesh Swain, a resident of Sutahat.Many residents said the narrow roads and neighbourhoods made it difficult for machines to access clogged drains.

However, they alleged the authorities have not taken any alternative steps either."Our drains haven't been touched for years. Rainwater from the street flows back into our houses. The authorities must act beyond photo-ops and temporary pumps," said Subash Biswal, a resident of Buxi Bazaar.Commuters faced a harrowing time navigating flooded roads, while shopkeepers in low-lying areas rushed to save their goods.

" I couldn't even step out for work. The entire stretch near Dr Tonpe Road in CDA turned into a drain. It happens every year, but nothing changes," said Jyoti Das, a resident of Sector 9, CDA.Office-goers and students had to wade through murky water, and several vehicles broke down mid-way, adding to the congestion."Even a two-hour spell of rain turns the city into Venice. Every monsoon, we face the same ordeal," said Sanjeev Panda, a shopkeeper near High Court Chowk.

"There is no planning nor any step taken for a concrete solution," added Panda.Mayor Subhash Singh, "We are on alert and around 256 pumps are working continuously. Our teams are clearing choke points manually in areas where machines can't reach. The intensity of rainfall in a short period is a challenge, but we are trying our best."