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52 mm rain in 60 mins leaves Lucknow soaking wet
The intense rain, which drenched the state capital in 52 mm rainwater in just an hour on Wednesday afternoon, however, exposed the tall claims of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) of turning the city ‘smart’.
After days of dry spell, an hour-long downpour finally quenched the city’s thirst for bountiful rain even as it brought with it much-needed relief from extreme humidity and heat on the last day of July.
The intense rain, which drenched the state capital in 52 mm rainwater in just an hour on Wednesday afternoon, however, exposed the tall claims of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) of turning the city ‘smart’.
Water entered the Vidhan Bhavan and a video of its staff using buckets to remove water from the corridors of power was being widely shared on social media. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath left the premises from a different gate due to waterlogging. Even the elevators had to be stopped.
In an X post, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav took a dig on the government. “The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly needs budget the most. If this is the condition after one torrential rain, then the rest of the state is at the mercy of god...” Yadav shared two videos in his post one of which showed a waterlogged Vidhan Sabha.
Till 2:30 pm, the state capital experienced 52 mm of rainfall, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). With overcast conditions since the morning, the city skies became a host to darker clouds by noon and commuters even had to turn on their vehicles’ headlights for better visibility.
Not just the Vidhan Bhavan, rainwater also entered the LMC’s office at Lalbagh. In a video on social media, the entry corridor of the LMC office could be seen submerged with staff walking in ankle-deep water.
A similar situation was reported at the record office of the district collectorate and Sahkarita Bhawan. A child escaped a major accident at Eldeco Saubhagyam in Vrindavan Yojana when an asbestos sheet fell on him. The incident was caught on camera. Water also entered the Rashtriya Lok Dal office, and a tree fell near Novelty Cinema in Aliganj.
Heavy rainfall led to severe waterlogging in many parts of the city disrupting normal life. The condition of a road leading to the Civil Hospital and Park Road, which is right in front of the chief minister’s residence, was laid bare. Also, rainwater flooded a street near Taj Hotel in Gomti Nagar.
Municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh said, “Even the best drainage systems require time to clear stormwater. I inspected 1090 Crossing and areas near Taj, Ashiana, LDA Colony and Narhi immediately after the rain. Waterlogging there cleared within an hour. This is notable considering that these are low-lying areas. Additionally, our pumps were dispatched to locations with severe waterlogging, ensuring prompt water clearance.”
