The PMC officials put the onus on Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (PESU). Some of the sump houses stopped functioning due to power cut in the wee hours. "This led to water accumulation on the main roads,"said Nootan Rajdhani Anchal executive officer B N Singh. Power supply was restored, he said, only after the matter was brought to the notice of PESU officials. "After that, water from the main roads was drained out. Also, one diesel- operated pump was operated for rapid draining of water,"Singh added.

Making similar claims, Bankerpur circle executive officer Rajendra Gupta, who is also in charge of Kankerbagh circle, said all the pumps are working in full throttle and the accumulated water in the low-lying areas of these circles is likely to be drained out in the next 48 hours.

His claims notwithstanding, A K Shahi of Rajendra Nagar road no. 6 said water level in his locality, in fact, was rising even after the pumps were made operational.

Urban development minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said the department is keeping a tab on the draining-out work and the officials have been asked to submit reports every two hours. "I have also directed the PESU officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply so that all the pumps could work round the clock,"he said, adding 30 additional pumps have been pressed into service for draining out the water.

Meanwhile, movement of passenger trains on the Patna-Gaya (PG) section of the Danapur division was partially affected due to waterlogging on tracks.

A few Patna-bound passenger trains were detained at Parasa Bazar. They were later allowed to proceed on the waterlogged tracks, but with full caution. As signalling system also went haywire, manual signalling system was adopted to pass passenger trains, railway sources said.

According to Danapur PRO R K Singh, the railways have pressed motor pumping sets into service to drain out water from the PG tracks at Patna Junction.