One hour of rain exposes Kanpur's Smart City project failures and drainage breakdown

Just about an hour of heavy rain in Kanpur has laid bare the hollow claims of the municipal corporation and the Smart City project. The downpour left several major roads and markets across the city waterlogged, with the Govind Nagar area in South Kanpur witnessing particularly severe conditions where streets and markets were completely submerged.

Open drains in the flooded zones posed serious hazards to residents, while local traders and pedestrians struggled to move through the waterlogged streets. Traders have alleged that despite crores of rupees being spent over the years in the name of drain cleaning, water drainage, and road construction, the problem remains unchanged. The situation has raised serious questions about where the money is actually going and what work is being done on the ground.

In protest against the civic apathy, All India Congress Party member Vikas Awasthi, along with his workers, rowed a boat through the waterlogged streets. The activists raised slogans of "Nagar Nigam Hosh Mein Aao" (Municipal Corporation, wake up) to express their anger over the waterlogging and the broken drainage system. The symbolic protest highlighted the frustration of residents who face this ordeal every monsoon.

Local businessmen pointed out that the municipal corporation collects lakhs and crores in taxes from the market area, yet traders and common people are forced to deal with waterlogging at the first sign of rain. They accused the authorities of merely going through the motions when it comes to drain cleaning and road construction.

The post-rain scenario has exposed the reality behind Kanpur's Smart City tag. Residents and traders are now demanding a permanent drainage solution, effective cleaning of drains, and repair of dilapidated roads. They say the same situation repeats itself every year during the rains, but no lasting solution has been found so far.