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Despite no rain, swollen Gomti breaches Lucknow’s urban core
Fast-moving discharge from Pilibhit, Sitapur catches the state capital off guard; Gomti reaches Shaheed Path, traffic disrupted near Ekana stadium
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LUCKNOW Despite recording no significant rainfall since September 27, large swathes of Lucknow remain severely waterlogged as a surging Gomti river pushed deeper into the city’s urban core on Wednesday. Driven by massive upstream discharge, floodwaters reached key arteries including Shaheed Path, marking a geographical shift from the city’s northern fringes to its central and prominent corridors.
The flooding, which initially inundated northern boundary villages like Itaunja and Bakshi Ka Talab (BKT) over a week ago, has left Faizullaganj densely submerged, forcing thousands out of their homes.
The crisis escalated on Wednesday when floodwaters breached the Gomti Nagar Extension, disrupting normal movement along Shaheed Path — considered the city’s primary artery. Waterlogging was reported near the Phoenix Palassio mall, the Ekana Stadium area and the UP State Disaster Management Authority (UP SDMA) building in Sector 7.
The widespread inundation prompted police to deploy PAC teams to manage the deteriorating traffic situation. Commuters were forced to negotiate heavily submerged stretches, particularly along the service lane opposite the Signature Building and the road leading from the Ekana service road towards IIIT in Chak Gajaria. Residents in Sector 7 and River Enclave have reported three to four feet of water accumulation inside their properties, effectively trapping families indoors.
The rising river also severed access to vital public and religious spaces. Major cremation grounds along the Gomti, including Baikunth Dham and Gulalaghat, were inundated alongside shrines such as the Chandrika Devi Temple in BKT. The unprecedented water levels have left grieving families scrambling for dry space to perform the last rites of their loved ones.
During the 24 hours ending Wednesday, the Gomti continued to rise at three of the four key monitoring points in Lucknow, according to irrigation department officials. The river stood at 107.24 metres at Hanuman Setu, an increase of 8 cm, while the Gomti barrage recorded 107 metres, up 10 cm.
At Gaughat, the river reached 108.58 metres, increasing by 3 cm in 24 hours. Bhatpurva, however, recorded a decline of 8 cm to 113.08 metres.
Officials said the barrage level remained stable between 2pm and 6pm on Wednesday.
Irrigation department executive engineer (Lucknow division) Mukesh Vaish said the decline recorded at Bhatpurva could eventually bring relief downstream.
The normal Gomti level at Gaughat is around 105.70 metres. The current level has reached close to the levels recorded during the 2008 flood, when the river touched around 108 metres at Gaughat, said officials.
Officials said backflow from a nullah worsened the situation around the Ekana Stadium service road.
The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) had temporarily closed the nullah after an earlier breach. However, irrigation officials said the arrangement required continuous monitoring because water could flow back if the closure was not properly maintained.
According to officials, a barrel that had been closed with soil apparently allowed backflow, after which water reached the service road and adjoining areas.
They said the situation could be under control by Thursday, if the affected point is properly monitored and sealed. Otherwise, continued pressure from the swollen river could worsen the flooding.
Why flooding continues without rain
*The continuing inundation is primarily linked to water entering the Gomti from its upstream catchment areas rather than fresh rainfall in Lucknow.
*Vaish said the river was receiving water from catchment areas in districts including Pilibhit, Lakhimpur and Sitapur. The incoming water is moving rapidly towards Lucknow, keeping the river level elevated.
*He said the river’s movement has reached around 30 km per day, compared with around 1 km per day during normal conditions.
*As a result, a fall in the river level upstream does not immediately bring relief to Lucknow. Officials assess that changes in the upstream level generally take around 24 hours to affect the city.
*The flood situation in Lucknow, therefore, remains dependent on both the volume of upstream water entering the Gomti and how quickly its level recedes at monitoring points.
