Kanpur: Monsoon showers that brought much-needed relief from the sweltering heat and humidity across Kanpur also exposed the city’s fragile drainage infrastructure. Nearly 48 mm of rainfall from Sunday evening to Monday afternoon submerged roads, triggered widespread waterlogging, disrupted traffic, delayed office-goers and schoolchildren, and affected normal life across several parts of the city.Several roads and lanes turned into virtual canals as rainwater accumulated in low-lying localities. Many residents preferred to remain indoors as flooded streets made commuting difficult. As govt offices and schools reopened after the Sunday holiday, thousands of commuters struggled to navigate waterlogged roads, with moderate to heavy rainfall during the morning further worsening the situation.The approach road to the Additional Labour Commissioner’s office was completely inundated, while the Regional Transport Office (RTO) Road resembled a canal. Several vehicles got stranded after entering submerged stretches. In Kanpur South, severe waterlogging was reported from many localities. The Juhi Railway Underbridge remained submerged with rainwater mixed with overflowing sewer water, forcing authorities to suspend traffic till noon. Vehicular movement was also disrupted for hours near Chawla Market Crossing in Govind Nagar.Long traffic snarls were reported from Madhuraj Hospital to The Chat Crossing in Swaroop Nagar, besides Sarvodaya Nagar, LLR Hospital and Kalyanpur. In Jagai Purwa, an e-rickshaw overturned after hitting a pothole hidden beneath rainwater, leaving the driver and an elderly passenger with minor injuries. A local youth also staged a protest by lying on a waterlogged road to highlight the poor civic infrastructure.Transport Nagar, Karrahi-Naubasta Galla Mandi Road and the industrial area of Gadarian Purwa witnessed extensive waterlogging, with rainwater entering several shops. Waterlogging was reported even outside the Kanpur Municipal Corporation and Kanpur Development Authority headquarters near Motijheel.While the showers brought pleasant weather and respite from the prolonged humid spell, they once again highlighted the city’s inadequate storm-water drainage system, prompting residents to demand permanent solutions to recurring monsoon flooding.
