E-Paper
Civic mess? Lucknow’s ‘smart’ transformation stuck in low gear
Dug-up roads, unattended pipelines, incomplete footpaths, missing streetlights leave commuters to navigate hazardous conditions; multiple patches left with just ballast dumped on the surface
LUCKNOW Incomplete and abandoned segments of the Chief Minister’s Green Road Infrastructure Development (Urban) Scheme have left many areas of Lucknow in disarray, with two key projects facing a completion deadline of April 2026. Vast portions of the work remain unfinished, raising concerns about execution, monitoring and quality control in one of the city’s flagship urban development initiatives.
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), which is executing these projects, has failed to complete critical infrastructure components, including roads, footpaths, drainage systems and streetlighting, despite receiving around ₹125 crore from the state government for improving civic amenities.
During HT’s ground visits across multiple project sites on April 5 and 6 revealed a consistent pattern — roads dug up and left unattended, pipelines laid but not connected, incomplete footpaths and missing streetlights — leaving residents and commuters to navigate hazardous conditions daily.
A 1-km stretch from Gole Market intersection to Kapoorthala intersection remains one of the most affected. While stormwater pipelines have been laid and partial construction of dividers and footpaths has taken place, several portions of the stretch remain incomplete.
Authorities have left multiple patches with just ballast dumped on the surface, making commuting difficult and unsafe. Continuous pedestrian pathways are missing and several segments lack functional streetlights. Even where dividers have been constructed, poles for lighting remain uninstalled. The same stretch of road, where till now the road has not yet been constructed, experiences major potholes across its entire length.
A section near Gole Market shows some progress, but as one moves towards Kapoorthala, the work becomes increasingly fragmented, with visible gaps and abandoned patches. In several areas, footpaths remain incomplete or encroached upon, forcing pedestrians to walk on the main road.
A similar situation persists on the 900-metre stretch connecting Park Road to Kalidas Marg. Despite nearing the scheduled completion date, multiple segments of the road and pedestrian infrastructure remain incomplete.
Disconnected stretches, incomplete paving and a lack of finishing work indicate poor coordination and planning. The incomplete state of the project has reduced its utility and continues to inconvenience commuters.
Vibhuti Khand project raises safety concerns
In Vibhuti Khand, another CM Grid project worth around ₹40 crore is witnessing slow progress. The project covers nearly 3 km, aims to upgrade roads, install underground stormwater drains and improve drainage connectivity. However, large portions of the roads remain dug up.
During a visit near Summit Building and Vibhuti Khand police station on Sunday evening, many stretches were found in hazardous condition. Open manholes, uneven road surfaces and incomplete construction have made commuting risky.
Thousands of commuters use this route daily, and the prolonged construction has resulted in traffic disruptions and increased chances of accidents.
Apart from delays, the quality of materials being used in the project has also come under scrutiny. At a site near Pickup Bhawan in Vibhuti Khand, a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) pipe meant for stormwater drainage was found broken before installation.
The damaged pipe, lying unattended at the site, has raised concerns over quality checks and procurement standards being followed in the project. Residents questioned how such materials were cleared for use in a major infrastructure initiative.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar and mayor Sushma Kharkwal have even earlier conducted inspections and issued directions to speed up the work of Mahanagar area. However, these instructions have not translated into effective implementation on the ground.
At several locations, only a few labourers were seen working on isolated stretches, while majority of the sites remained unattended. In some areas, work has been halted for weeks without any visible progress or explanation from officials.
When contacted, LMC chief engineer (civil) Mahesh Verma remained unavailable for comment. Executive engineer Atul Mishra acknowledged that the projects have not been completed within the scheduled timeline. He added that IIT-Kanpur has been selected to conduct quality checks of the materials used and is monitoring the process closely.
The official said the Mahanagar CM Grid project, which began in September 2024, and the Park Road project were both slated for completion by April 2026. He added that the work is now expected to be completed by May.
However, he failed to provide clarity on why key components such as pedestrian footpaths remain incomplete even in stretches where other works have progressed.
Delays and incomplete work have triggered anger among residents, who continue to face inconvenience due to dug-up roads, dust and traffic congestion.
Kundan Gupta, a resident of Aliganj, demanded an investigation into the project, alleging that work stalled abruptly after initial progress. He said no official has visited the site in recent weeks to assess the situation.
Another resident along the Gole Market–Kapoorthala stretch pointed out that even completed footpaths are being misused for parking by nearby establishments, including a private hospital. As a result, pedestrians are forced to walk on busy roads.
Residents highlighted that many streetlights under the project are either non-functional or yet to be installed, defeating the purpose of improving urban safety.
The CM Grid initiative aims to transform urban infrastructure by creating better roads, pedestrian-friendly pathways, improved lighting and efficient drainage systems. However, the current state of projects in Lucknow reflects significant lapses in execution and supervision.
The projects have turned into prolonged construction zones, adding to public inconvenience.
