Lucknow: Even after a brief spell of moderate rain in the city, entrance to Dr Deepak Dixit’s clinic on Park Road gets submerged under knee-deep water. Patients have to wade through the water to reach the clinic, while staff struggle to protect medical equipment.Dixit, who runs a diagnostic centre opposite Civil Hospital, said he has been resident of the area for 38 years but problem began six months ago after footpath and drainage work under CM grid scheme started in the area.“The footpath has been constructed by Lucknow Municipal Corporation at a higher level, preventing rainwater from flowing into the drain. The connecting drainage pipes are too narrow to handle the volume of water. The raised footpath acts like a dam, creating a pond of logged rainwater in front of my clinic,” he said.The water enters the basement and adjoining lanes through AC vents and windows, threatening medical equipment.The issue extends along the nearly 200-metre stretch of Park Road, where shopkeepers, restaurant workers and residents report similar problems during rainfall. Water accumulates near the raised footpath and spills into shops, forcing business owners to use pumps and buckets to clear their premises.“We have been facing this issue for a long time. Customer footfall drops during rains and much of our time is spent removing water. The drains are also clogged with garbage,” said Amiya, staff of a fast-food outlet.Raj Rawat, who works in a restaurant on the road, said the elevated footpath causes water to collect and enter shops during rains. He added that the matter had been reported to LMC officials.A pharmacy employee said clogged drains near the Hanuman temple added to the problem. Residents said waterlogging is particularly severe near Civil Hospital Gate No 1 and the lanes around Gate No 2.Dixit said he lodged a complaint through the Lucknow One app on Aug 6 and had approached LMC officials several times over the past six months.Shop owners and residents are demanding wider connections between roadside drains and the main drainage line, regular desilting and an upgrade of the drainage system to counter heavy rainfall.Fixing waterlogging on Park Road: Municipal commissionerMunicipal Commissioner Gaurav Kumar acknowledged the waterlogging issue but said there was no flaw in the design. He explained that roads can become higher after resurfacing or reconstruction, which can affect how rainwater drains from adjoining areas. To address waterlogging on the affected stretch, the civic body is connecting roadside drains to underground pipes. These connections are intended to improve drainage and allow rainwater to flow away from the road more efficiently. “Work has begun and several sections of the stretch have been connected, while the remaining sections will be connected soon to help resolve the waterlogging issue,” he said.
