First rain of 2020 floods Lucknow, triggers traffic snarls

LUCKNOW: An hour-long bout of unseasonal rainfall on Wednesday, the first spell of 2020, laid bare the city’s civic unpreparedness once more. From annoying puddles to choked drains and flooded roads — the nightmare was back to haunt commuters everywhere.
If driving was a challenge on slippery and pothole-riddled stretches of Aliganj, Niralanagar, Mahanagar, Parivartan Chowk, Indiranagar and Aminabad, waterlogging prompted many in Hazratganj to leave their vehicles home.Nitesh Verma was among them. “The road in front of my house remained submerged for almost two hours. I decided to wade through the water instead of driving,” he said.
As dirty water flooded pavements and street corners at Parivartan Chowk, Daliganj, Lalbagh, Narhi and Kaiserbagh, pedestrians were compelled to walk on the carriageway. “Wading through filth is stomach-churning. We had no choice, but to risk accidents,” said Manish Jaiswal, a commuter at Parivartan Chowk.
Unattended craters on roads increased the risk factor for many, especially for those who ride two-wheelers. “The road in front of my house leads to Krishnanagar and is in bad shape. I saw two bikers injuring themselves while trying to dodge water-filled craters,” said Naman Mishra, a resident of Charbagh.
In Naka Hindola, ongoing flyover construction work was an extra disadvantage in the rain. “Barricades for the project cover most of the road width. Also, pedestrians are forced to walk on the road that remains. I just drove 100 metre in 20 minutes,” said Abdul Kadir, a motorist.
An official at Lucknow Municipal Corporation said they received 27 complaints related to waterlogging on their helpline. “All issues were resolved. If people are facing similar problems, they should register their complaints with us,” he added.