Heavy Rain Destroys LMC Claims; Additional Rain Expected Today
A sudden downpour on Wednesday evening once again highlighted the inadequacies of Lucknow's drainage system, leading to widespread waterlogging across the city. Despite recording just 5.3 mm of rain between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, several key areas were submerged, debunking claims by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) about having a robust drainage network
Image Credit: Hindustan Times
Waterlogging was reported at various locations, including Ghasiyari Mandi, the stretch connecting Kaiserbagh to Shubham Cinema, and Lalbagh, where the LMC office is situated. Aminabad and Shriram Road also faced similar issues, with a prominent sweet shop owner, Ashu Gupta, describing the situation as "huge waterlogging" that prevented customers from entering the shop due to overflowing drains
Lucknow Met director Manish R Ranalkar attributed the rain to an active low-pressure area and predicted another spell of showers on Thursday. The forecast for Lucknow suggests partly cloudy skies becoming generally cloudy, with one or two spells of light to moderate rain or thundershowers expected
The heavy rain, which lasted for about three hours between 3 pm and 6 pm, led to waterlogging on Gautam Buddh Marg, as reported by Deepak Agarwal and his daughter Gauri, an IIT JEE aspirant who had gone to the market to purchase an electrical appliance
Despite the inconvenience caused by the waterlogging, the rain brought some relief from the above-normal temperatures recorded earlier in the day. Lucknow registered a maximum of 36.8°C and a minimum of 28.9°C, both of which were higher than usual
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of heavy rain at isolated places across the state, with rain or thundershowers expected at many locations. The extended range forecast for Uttar Pradesh predicts light to moderate rainfall at most places from September 6th to September 12th
The recurring incidents of waterlogging during monsoons highlight the need for the LMC and other authorities to prioritize the improvement of Lucknow's drainage infrastructure. Effective measures, such as regular maintenance of drains, upgrading the system, and ensuring proper planning for urban development, are crucial to mitigate the impact of heavy rains and prevent such disruptions in the future
