E-Paper
Flood mitigation in Lko: Proposal cleared, ₹350-cr project moves closer to implementation
The proposal has now been forwarded to the National Disaster Management Authority for final clearance
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) received a green signal from the state government for the ₹350-crore Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Programme to tackle the city’s chronic waterlogging problem.
The proposal has now been forwarded to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for final clearance, bringing the ambitious flood management plan closer to execution.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar said the technical appraisal committee assessment has been approved and the national appraisal committee has also given administrative approval and now the NDMA must give the final approval to release the funds. He added that the civic body will begin implementing the project after the authority grants final approval and releases the funds.
The proposed Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Programme has an estimated cost of ₹350 crore, of which ₹200 crore will be sought from the National Disaster Management Fund (NDMF) through the NDMA, while the Uttar Pradesh government will contribute the remaining ₹150 crore.
Under the project, LMC has proposed major structural and technological interventions to improve the city’s flood resilience. Around ₹244.8 crore has been earmarked for strengthening drainage infrastructure, rejuvenating ponds and lakes, developing blue-green infrastructure, creating riparian buffers and replacing ageing pumping stations.
Another ₹105.2 crore has been allocated for floodplain zoning, pump automation, preparation of a blue-green master plan, an early warning and decision support system and a state-level flood control room.
The project also identifies critical flood-prone stretches, including Nyay Vihar in Bhitauli Khurd and the Paper Mill Ward corridor from Nishatganj crossing to Barrel Number 10, where infrastructure upgrades have been proposed to reduce recurring waterlogging.
According to the project documents, the proposal underwent an 18-month appraisal process and multiple rounds of technical scrutiny before reaching its present stage.
