The heavy rain in Lucknow on Thursday had significant consequences, including:
- Waterlogging: The rain caused severe waterlogging in various areas of Lucknow, including Triveni Nagar, Faizullaganj, Mahanagar, Aliganj, Alambagh, Barha, Hazratganj, Charbagh, Moulviganj, and Balaganj. This led to traffic disruptions and inconvenience for residents.
- Power Disruptions: The heavy rain resulted in power disruptions in several areas, including VVIP areas like Dilkusha Colony, Gomti Nagar, and Mahanagar. Approximately 40 sub-stations of Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) had to shut down due to water entering these facilities. This led to power outages that affected students attending online classes and employees working from home.
- Communication Issues: Residents complained that they couldn’t reach the LESA sub-station in Chander Nagar, and their calls to the 1912 helpline of LESA were not answered, adding to their frustration.
- Tree Uprooting: In several places, trees fell on power lines, causing further disruption to electricity supply.
- Municipal Corporation Office Affected: Water also entered the premises of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation’s office, affecting its operations.
- Transportation Disruptions: The rain and waterlogging affected transportation in the city. Pedestrians were seen wading through knee-deep water in some areas, and dug-up roads in Qaiserbagh added to the commuting woes.
- Flights Affected: Due to the inclement weather and low visibility, three flights to Lucknow were diverted to other destinations, and international flights to and from Sharjah were canceled.
- Exorbitant Cab Fares: Cab services were disrupted due to the bad weather, and some drivers charged exorbitant fares, making it difficult for people to travel. Food delivery apps also charged hefty amounts for food delivery.
- Infrastructure Issues: Ongoing infrastructure projects, such as the smart city project in the Old City area, contributed to the waterlogging problems. Roads that were dug up for these projects compounded the situation.
- Public Complaints: Residents expressed their concerns about the open nullah overflowing into homes, posing a risk of infection.
Efforts were being made to address these issues, with LESA teams working to remove uprooted trees and flush out water from sub-stations, and the municipal commissioner directing officials to attend to complaints. However, the incident highlighted the challenges posed by heavy rain in the city and exposed shortcomings in infrastructure and services
