‘Dust corridors', crumbling footpaths spell civic mess in Lucknow

Hindustan Times

10 hours ago

LUCKNOW After persistent rain in the state capital, roads are reflecting civic apathy -- many have become narrow and difficult for commuters to tread on, due to potholes, dust, cave-ins, open dumping of waste and other factors. This is despite Lucknow securing the third rank among the cleanest cities in the country in the million-plus population category in the Swachh Shahar Awards 2024-2025. After continuous rain in Lucknow, condition of roads deteriorated, resulting in a 'cloud of dust', near Lohia Park crossing in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/HT Photo)
As rain continues to lash the city, multiple footpaths have reportedly become vulnerable to cave-ins, roads have disintegrated, many drains remain uncovered and exposed electric wires dangle dangerously from streetlight poles - all pointing to negligence and poor groundwork by municipal authorities.
With incidents of injuries and close calls being reported from several zones, commuters face the hazards of crumbling civic infrastructure. Even visits of ministers, bureaucrats and the municipal commissioner have made little difference to the ground situation. A PWD official revealed that road repair work on the Lohia stretch had begun.
Negligence in Vibhuti Khand
HT's ground checks on Tuesday and Wednesday revealed that some newly built or repaired footpaths caved in after just a few days of rainfall, exposing the substandard construction carried out by civic authorities.
In Vibhuti Khand, on the road leading to the Shaheed Path underpass, just opposite Kisan Bazaar, large sections of the footpath have collapsed. Despite being a high-traffic zone, no barricading, warning signs or preventive measures are in place. Waterlogging in the area further obscures the caved-in sections, putting pedestrians and two-wheeler riders at high risk.
'It's a death trap. One mis-step during rain or while walking in low visibility and anyone can fall. Authorities didn't even bother to place barricades,' said Satish Verma, a shopkeeper in the area.
Another damaged stretch lies on the road connecting Vibhuti Khand to the IGP intersection, an important route used by thousands daily. Here too, footpaths have caved in at multiple places, and once again, the absence of any safety measures signals gross apathy.
Ironically, the area's corporator resides a few metres from both locations, but no remedial action has been taken so far.
VIP routes or dust corridors?
The rain-hit city isn't just battling showers, but also fighting dust. The road from the Chief Minister's residence to the Polytechnic intersection via Samta Mulak and Lohia Path has become a dust corridor. The top layer of the road has eroded within four days of rain, leaving behind exposed gravel and crater-like potholes. As the rain subsided, thick clouds of dust began rising — causing respiratory discomfort and poor visibility for commuters.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, HT witnessed hundreds of two-wheeler riders using scarves, handkerchiefs and even bare hands to cover their faces.
'The dust feels like a sandstorm. I can't breathe properly, and it's getting into my eyes and nose,' said Ritu Pandey, a commuter from Gomti Nagar.
Open drains, live wires
Open manholes, uncovered drains and exposed live wires are also a hazard. Many roads, especially in Indira Nagar, Aliganj and Gomti Nagar, have broken patches where rainwater has accumulated in open manholes. Worse still, no visible markings or barricades have been placed by authorities.
Streetlight poles across multiple areas also have loose or exposed electrical wiring. Residents fear that a single spark or short circuit during rains could cause fatal accidents.
On August 4, HT highlighted a cave-in that occurred during the third day of rainfall in a residential area under the Madiaon police station limits. LMC officials attributed the cave-in to a water pipeline leak and claimed to have barricaded the area. However, locals said the repair response came late and the barricades were not sufficient to prevent accidents.
When HT brought these issues to the attention of state finance minister and city in-charge Suresh Khanna, he admitted the severity of the situation.
'We want Lucknow to stay on the merit list of clean cities. I will instruct municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar to take immediate action. Life and safety come first,' said Khanna.
He added: 'I inspect four wards every month to monitor sanitation and infrastructure and give orders as per the visit.'
When HT questioned about the footpath collapses and open drains, mayor Sushma Kharkwal claimed this year saw less waterlogging than last year. 'If there are footpaths that have caved in, I will get them inspected and repaired. For manholes and road issues, please send pictures and addresses. We will act,' she said.
The mayor also admitted that many drains were left uncovered this monsoon due to delays in cover installations. 'We could not get drain covers made this season, but we'll fix them post-monsoon,' she added.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar, when contacted, said he couldn't confirm whether the cave-ins were directly due to rain. However, he assured that once HT shared pictures and area names, the civic body would initiate inspections.
However, many residents feel disillusioned after seeing Lucknow being celebrated for cleanliness in the national rankings just weeks ago.
'It's a joke. Just four days of rain and everything collapses. Is this the third-cleanest city in India?' questioned Anjali Singh, a commuter who was present in Gomti Nagar when HT visited the place. 'We're tired of hollow statements and photo-ops. We need safety, not speeches.'