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Rajnath, Yogi finalise plan to prevent flooding along Gomti
The roadmap includes 5.5-km embankment from IIM Road to Pucca Pul, with focus on drainage, sewage and civic infrastructure. The Union minister said providing permanent relief to residents was a top priority, noting that thousands of families in Faizullaganj and other low-lying areas had suffered heavy losses over the past two weeks.
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To ensure Faizullaganj does not face flooding in future, defence minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh and chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday finalised the plan to build an embankment of about 5.5 km along the left bank of the Gomti, from IIM Road to Pucca Pul (Hardinge Bridge).
Singh and Adityanath presided over a joint meeting on Saturday evening to discuss flooding in Faizullaganj.
Senior officials from the irrigation, urban development, housing, health, revenue and energy departments attended the meeting. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, local MLA Neeraj Bora and mayor Sushma Kharkwal were also present. Singh thanked the state government and district administration for the relief efforts undertaken so far.
The Union minister said providing permanent relief to residents was a top priority, noting that thousands of families in Faizullaganj and other low-lying areas had suffered heavy losses over the past two weeks.
He stressed that work on the embankment should begin on priority. He also called for the timely development of basic infrastructure, including trunk drainage, a sewerage network, tap water connections to every household, roads and a robust power supply system in a time-bound manner.
Adityanath said there should be no shortfall in relief for affected families. He directed officials to ensure the availability of clean drinking water, food, medical care and sanitation, along with safe movement in the affected areas.
He also directed officials to repair damaged roads immediately and asked departments to work in coordination under a time-bound action plan to find a permanent solution to waterlogging in Faizullaganj and other low-lying areas along the Gomti. The plan should include embankment construction, drain development and modern pumping facilities, he said.
Ordering swift action on the points raised by the defence minister, the chief minister said the government stood firmly with every affected family.
Stressing the need for comprehensive development, Adityanath said a new integrated school, offering education from pre-primary to Class 12, would be set up soon in Faizullaganj to provide quality and accessible education.
He said that for better healthcare, all primary health centres (PHCs) in the waterlogged areas would be upgraded to community health centres (CHCs). To ensure an uninterrupted power supply, a new 132-KV substation would be set up in place of the existing 33-KV facility.
Adityanath said the drainage system in a rapidly growing city like Lucknow must be future-ready. Embankments, pumping stations and drains should be planned as complementary infrastructure to prevent water stagnation even when river levels rise or heavy rain occurs, he said.
“The Gomti is the soul of Lucknow. Whatever is needed to ensure its uninterrupted and clean flow should be done,” he said, stressing the need to expedite dredging of the river.
Pathak stressed the need to assess Lucknow’s future drinking water requirements. Bora raised issues concerning affected families in Faizullaganj and called for an overhaul of the sewerage system, the construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) and repairs to transformers.
Kharkwal said about 6,500 houses had been affected and that the municipal corporation was working round the clock to provide assistance.
During the meeting, officials said the Gomti’s normal water level was 105.70 metres and its warning level was 108.50 metres. The river level had reached 108.60 metres on October 8. As Faizullaganj’s ground level is four metres below the river’s normal level, 21 localities spread across 8.05 sq km were affected, impacting around 6,500 families, or more than 38,000 people.
Officials also informed the meeting that the district administration had set up 16 flood relief posts and eight shelter homes.
With the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the 32nd battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), rescue operations were carried out using 106 boats, 40 motorboats and 19 steamers. A total of 11,275 food relief kits, 67,800 lunch packets and 1,18,500 litres of drinking water were distributed.
Officials also said that 46 medical teams comprising 28 doctors and paramedical staff conducted door-to-door visits, treated 8,591 patients and distributed 12,291 medicine kits, 12,000 ORS packets and 8,591 chlorine tablets.
Around 75 water tankers, 36 mobile toilets, 179 light points and 135 mobile charging points were operational, officials informed Singh. A 24-hour control room, accessible through toll-free number 1077, and six control points were also functioning.
