Chandigarh/Panchkula/Mohali, June 23 -- While residents are eagerly waiting for monsoon to arrive, a sinking feeling persists as much of the road gullies are yet to be cleaned. In Chandigarh, until June 17, 72% of the total 30,452 road gullies and storm water drains - critical for clearing rainwater from roads - had been cleaned. But vulnerable areas, especially low-lying zones such as Mauli Jagran Complex, Charan Singh Colony, Vikas Nagar, Shivalik Enclave, Raipur Kalan, Daria and Sunder Nagar, had reported slow progress. In these pockets, only around 50% of the drains have been cleaned due to manpower shortage, leaving them highly susceptible to flooding during even moderate spells of rain. Last monsoon, the city had witnessed widespread flooding and traffic chaos during heavy downpours, with several roads and low-lying sectors, especially southern sectors, being inundated for hours. The situation is no better in Mohali. Authorities only started cleaning road gullies - 23,000 in number - in the third week of June. In Mohali, 9,500 road gullies are under the public health department, 8,500 under the municipal corporation and 5,000 under the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA). A senior official of the public health department said around 2,500 road gullies had been cleaned and the department was hopeful of completing the work in two weeks. In Panchkula too, only 50% of the total 5,000 road gullies have been cleaned. Residents are also questioning the superficial cleaning practices adopted by the municipal corporation (MC), Haryana shehri vikas pradhikaran (HSVP), and Panchkula metropolitan development authority (PMDA). SK Nayar, president of the Citizens' Welfare Association, Sector-15, said, "Road gullies aren't being properly cleaned. Only the covers are cleared, and the debris is left beside the gullies, which would only block them after the next downpour." Nayar also questioned why authorities float tenders for cleaning in April or May. "How can the road gullies of the entire city be cleaned in just one or two months?" he asked. Colonel SK Datta (retired), president of Sector 12 RWA, also said cleaning should start early, not after monsoon hits the region. Waterlogging is a recurring issue for residents of Panchkula's Sectors 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, Trans-Ghaggar area, Indira Colony, Rajiv Colony, and Budhanpur village. Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector-25 suggested that dedicated staff should be deployed during monsoon seasons to prevent blockages. An MC officer concerned said desilting work is being carried out using machines. However, during recent rains, waterlogging was observed outside the newly constructed General Hospital building in Sector-6, affecting patients....