Two days of relentless rain have left Prayagraj inundated — the worst-affected district in Uttar Pradesh this monsoon — with up to three feet of water flooding residential areas, families fleeing their homes and rescue teams using boats to reach those stranded. The situation has been particularly severe in low-lying areas such as George Town, Tagore Town, Allapur and Kareli, where water was knee deep, said officials. The George Town police station was also waterlogged. Rising levels of the Ganga and Yamuna have added to concerns in riverfront neighbourhoods, although both rivers remain below the danger mark, officials said. An aerial view shows the submerged low-lying areas, access roads, and boats anchored at Sangam. (PTI Photo) Boats reach stranded residents With severe waterlogging affecting several localities, Prayagraj senior officials have formed multiple teams from different departments to assist residents in the worst-hit areas. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been deployed for rescue and evacuation operations. Boats are being used to reach residents trapped inside their homes and move them to safer locations. Several families have taken shelter with relatives or neighbours after their homes were inundated. Those who have stayed back have been confined indoors as water continues to cover roads and residential lanes. Furniture, vehicles, electronic appliances and other household belongings have been damaged after being submerged in floodwater, leaving many facing significant losses. People sit in a waterlogged shelter along the banks of the swollen Ganges as the river's water level rises following heavy rainfall in Prayagraj. (PTI Photo) “It has been raining almost continuously since Monday,” said Abhinav Gupta, a Prayagraj resident. “Several areas are waterlogged, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that nearly one-third of Prayagraj is affected. Although the rain has eased somewhat on Wednesday, it is still continuing.” A senior administrative official said large parts of the city were facing severe waterlogging, but rejected claims that nearly one-third of the city was under water. Clogged drains add to the problem The situation was exacerbated by clogged drains, with complaints pouring in from residents. Additional Municipal Commissioner Shadab Aslam said municipal workers are clearing clogged drains and pumps have been deployed at multiple locations to drain the accumulated water. In some areas, sections of drain walls were also reported to have collapsed. Residents said they feared boundary walls along the roads could give way at any time and urged the development authority to address the drainage problem on an urgent basis. A police officer sits inside a waterlogged George Town police station, Wednesday (PTI Photo) Aslam said the drainage network was being upgraded to improve water flow. He added that trees obstructing roads were also being removed to clear access for residents and traffic. Authorities have also directed fair-price shop dealers to ensure uninterrupted distribution of foodgrains in the affected areas. The health department was asked to organise medical camps in villages affected by the waterlogging. Akhilesh targets BJP The Opposition used the situation to target the ruling BJP government. Sharing a photograph of the waterlogged George Town police station in Prayagraj, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X in Hindi: “Forget about food, BJP leaders — save the police station! This is what BJP’s corruption is saying: keep your boats ready!” A view shows waterlogged residential areas and flooded streets following heavy monsoon rains, in Prayagraj. (PTI Photo) In another post, Akhilesh claimed that the “Rs 1 lakh crore spent in the name of the Maha Kumbh and Prayagraj’s so-called ‘smart development’ is a living, flowing example of that massive corruption”. “They set out to make it ‘divya’ (divine), but everywhere one can see ‘dravya’ instead! Now, will they rename Allahabad again, this time from Prayagraj to ‘Jalrajnagar’?” he asked. HC seeks explanation Taking suo motu cognizance of waterlogging in Prayagraj, the Allahabad High Court Tuesday directed the District Magistrate and Municipal Commissioner to appear before it and explain why measures were not taken in advance to ensure that the city, particularly low-lying areas, do not get waterlogged. The division bench of Justices Garima Prashad and Ajit Kumar also directed the Secretary, Urban Development and Planning, to file a personal affidavit in the matter by Thursday to explain plans approved for ensuring that the city does not get waterlogged due to incessant rain. The matter has been listed on August 20.
