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Early morning inspection: Suresh Khanna pulls up officials over parking, drainage, park neglect in Lucknow
Suresh Khanna announced that a tree plantation drive will be held on September 9, during which over 1,000 saplings will be planted.
During a surprise inspection on Saturday morning, finance minister and in-charge minister of Lucknow, Suresh Kumar Khanna, reviewed five wards of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) in zones 1 and 2. The visit highlighted key issues, including parking congestion in Aminabad, waterlogging from clogged drains in Ganeshganj, and the poor upkeep of parks in Kunwar Jyoti Prasad ward.
During the inspection, Khanna noticed unused pipes and construction material dumped by the Jal Nigam. He reprimanded officials and ordered the site to be cleared without delay. He further instructed the construction of a systematic parking space on the vacant land and emphasised the need for regular monitoring.
In Ganeshganj ward, issues including overflowing drains and encroachments came to light. Khanna directed civic officials to engage with residents to identify critical problem areas and ensure removal of blockages. He also ordered penalties to be imposed on those responsible for obstructing drains through illegal encroachments.
At the Labor Colony ward, Khanna asked officials to intensify cleanliness efforts and identify suitable areas for tree plantation. Ward corporator Ajay Dixit, who accompanied the inspection, assured full cooperation in implementing plantation drives.
The park in Kunwar Jyoti Prasad ward near Mehndi Beg Kheda drew sharp criticism from the minister, who directed officials to immediately revamp and reorganise the green space. He announced that a tree plantation drive will be held on September 9, during which over 1,000 saplings will be planted, and assured that he will participate in the programme. Corporator’s representative Shivpal Sanwaria was also present during the inspection.
Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, who accompanied the finance minister, added that the park’s condition will be reviewed again in a week.
In Golaganj ward, cleanliness was found to be satisfactory, but Khanna directed officials to create a model vending zone to streamline street vending.
Urging swift action, Khanna directed the immediate deployment of the municipal corporation’s engineering team and instructed officials to resolve construction and sanitation problems without delay. “Public facilities must show real improvement on the ground, not just on paper,” he emphasized.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar, additional municipal commissioner Lalit Kumar, and other senior officials accompanied the minister during the inspection.
