With temperatures hovering around 42 degrees Celsius for five straight days and touching 43 degrees, Lucknow is facing an intense heatwave, but the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has set up only two cooling centres this year compared to over 28 water points and multiple facilities last summer, exposing a sharp gap in preparedness for lakhs of daily commuters battling extreme conditions.
The two centres, set up at the 1090 intersection and the LMC headquarters in Lalbagh, offer shaded seating, water coolers and lemon water with jaggery, but remain operational only till 6 pm, limiting access during late hours when heat stress persists. Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar and additional municipal commissioner Arvind Kumar Rao inaugurated the facilities on Monday.
Despite a population of around 4.59 million, as per the last census held in year 2011, only these two points are functional at present. The absence of medical support such as ORS, first-aid kits and emergency arrangements for heatstroke cases has raised concerns over readiness during peak summer.
Meanwhile, Mahesh Verma, LMC chief engineer, said “there is no heat” while confirming that only two centres have been set up so far.
Last year, the LMC had installed over 28 water pots and canopies at key intersections and set up cooling points at locations including GST Bhawan, GPO–Vidhan Sabha Road and Bhargav Petrol Pump Road. Around 25 night shelters were also upgraded to provide cold drinking water and resting spaces.
A ground visit at 1 pm on Monday to the 1090 intersection showed limited infrastructure, with two air coolers, a bed, sofas and earthen pots for water. While some commuters used the facility, the scale remained inadequate.
Irfan Khan, a food delivery partner, said he has started using the centre during idle hours. “During peak afternoon hours, it becomes difficult to stay on the road continuously. This place gives some relief when there are no orders,” he said.
Durgesh Shukla, a sales representative, said he visited the centre for the first time. “Cold water helps, but such centres should be available at more locations,” he said.
Asheesh Sharma, who manages the 1090 centre, confirmed that only lemon water and jaggery are currently being provided and that only two centres are operational.
Commuters pointed out the absence of such facilities at key transit points such as Charbagh and Chowk. A government employee said people travelling long distances remain exposed to direct sunlight without relief midway.
A similar situation was observed at the Lalbagh centre, where basic arrangements offered temporary respite to visitors.
Recently, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar had said additional locations were being identified beyond last year’s facilities, but no expansion is visible so far.
With temperatures consistently high, the limited number of centres points to a reactive response, leaving vulnerable groups at risk of dehydration and heatstroke.
