Civic promises drown in city’s monsoon waters

{ TWO LIVES LOST, DRAINS STILL OPEN

- Animesh Mishra

After the death of Suresh on Saturday, as grey clouds loomed over Lucknow and rainwater swirled through its narrow lanes, HT revisited a forgotten stretch in Wazirganj where a six-year-old girl had vanished into an open drain in September last year. The sky was overcast and the streets damp with recent rain, but the drain where the child had fallen remained uncovered and unattended. Signs of civic neglect were still visible.

Nearly a year had passed, yet no substantial work appeared to have been done. The assurances made at the time seem to have faded with the passing months.

Two lives have been lost in 11 months, both swallowed by uncovered drains during monsoon rains. Yet the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) remains locked ina cycle of inaction and statements. Civic responsibility has not extended beyond ropes tied post-tragedy and press conferences delivered with urgency that fades as fast as the floodwaters.