Lucknow’s drainage woes resurface after brief spell of heavy rain

The brief spell inundated residential areas, major roads and underpasses, with water remaining on several stretches even after the rain stopped.

Less than an hour of heavy rain on Monday once again exposed gaps in Lucknow’s drainage network, as waterlogging disrupted normal life across several key localities and major roads.

Waterlogged street at Aliganj in Lucknow on Monday. (DEEPAK GUPTA/HT PHOTO)

The brief spell inundated residential areas, major roads and underpasses, with water remaining on several stretches even after the rain stopped.

The affected areas included Gokhle Marg, Jankipuram Extension, Aliganj, Faizullaganj, Gomti Nagar Extension, Indira Nagar, Malhaur, Kharagpur, LDA colony, and Ashiyana among others. The widespread waterlogging after a brief spell of rain has once again raised questions over the effectiveness of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation’s pre-monsoon drain-cleaning and desilting work.

In Kharagpur, residents were left grappling with severe waterlogging. Akash Tripathi, a local resident, said nearly three feet of rainwater accumulated in parts of the locality, making movement difficult.

Similarly, Sectors 5 and 6 in Gomti Nagar Extension witnessed severe waterlogging, with residential stretches inundated and residents facing difficulties commuting.

Another location near Taj Underpass, just a few meters from the Lucknow Development Authority head office in Gomti Nagar, also witnessed severe waterlogging after a short spell of rain. The flooding disrupted vehicular movement on the key traffic route and once again exposed the vulnerability of major underpasses to heavy rainfall.