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The Chief Minister Green Road Infrastructure Development (CM GRID) scheme, aimed at improving roads, drainage and pedestrian infrastructure across the city, came under fresh scrutiny after heavy rainfall on Wednesday exposed waterlogging, unfinished works, open chambers and dysfunctional streetlights at several project sites.
The waterlogging in Vibhuti Khand was particularly significant as the CM GRID project includes additional stormwater infrastructure intended to improve drainage and reduce water accumulation. However, a newly constructed stretch near Vibhuti Khand police station was inundated following the rainfall, raising questions over the effectiveness of the newly laid drainage network.
Newly constructed Vibhuti Khand stretch gets waterlogged
During an HT visit around 5pm on Wednesday, a nearly 500-metre newly constructed stretch near the Vibhuti Khand police station was found waterlogged after heavy rain.
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation had completed around a kilometre of the stretch at a comparatively faster pace ahead of the inauguration of a hotel on the same road. However, the rainfall exposed drainage problems even on the completed portion.
Commuters were forced to negotiate the waterlogged stretch cautiously. The situation raised concerns over the stormwater infrastructure laid under the project, one of whose key objectives is to prevent waterlogging.
Another section of Vibhuti Khand leading towards Shaheed Path, where construction is still underway, also faced drainage-related problems. Large chambers along the road remained uncovered and, in some places, were higher than the road surface. Rainwater concealed their height, making them difficult to spot and increasing the risk of accidents, particularly for two-wheeler riders.
Mahanagar, Aliganj works remain incomplete
The problems extend beyond Vibhuti Khand. Several portions of the CM GRID works in Mahanagar and Aliganj remain incomplete, with unfinished footpaths, dysfunctional streetlights and open chambers reported at project sites. An HT assessment found dysfunctional streetlights, unfinished footpaths and open chambers at project locations. The incomplete works continue to affect commuters even as the civic body has extended project completion timelines.
LMC executive engineer Atul Mishra said the Mahanagar project, originally scheduled for completion in July, has been given an extension until September-November. The Vibhuti Khand and Aliganj projects have also been extended until November.
The repeated extensions have raised concerns over the pace of execution, with several stretches still dug up or only partially completed.
New drainage network fails to prevent waterlogging
Mishra said around 4.5 km of stormwater lines had been laid under the CM GRID projects across the city. Officials said sewer lines were replaced only at locations where an existing network was unavailable, with the new lines connected to the existing system elsewhere.
Despite the addition of stormwater infrastructure, Wednesday’s rainfall resulted in water accumulation at multiple locations, raising questions over the capacity and execution of the drainage network.
Uneven streetlight installation
The Vibhuti Khand stretch also showed inconsistencies in streetlight installation. One portion has yellowish lighting, while another features LED lights mounted on aesthetic poles. Several lights on one side of the road were also found defunct, while those on the opposite side were operational.
LMC chief engineer (civil) Mahesh Verma said Phase-I of the CM GRID projects has an estimated cost of ₹150 crore, while Phase-II has an estimated cost of ₹100 crore.
Safety concerns over electrical work
Mahatma Gandhi Ward corporator Amit Choudhary has separately raised concerns over electrical work under the project. In an IGRS complaint, he alleged that an 11,000-volt power line being laid from Hussainganj power station to Yojana Bhawan was installed at an inadequate depth of around one-and-a-half feet.
LMC executive engineer Mishra, however, said such a situation could occur only on a few inches-long stretch and not across the entire route.
Corporator Mukesh Singh Chauhan also criticised the project’s planning and execution, alleging that public money was being wasted. He questioned how waterlogging continued despite roads being dug up and new drainage infrastructure being installed.
Chauhan further alleged that widened footpaths were being occupied by vendors and encroachers, citing Park Road and Kapoorthala as examples. He also claimed that some streetlight poles had been installed over drains, affecting their functioning.
