Nagpur: Four days after the July 28 deluge exposed dangers of the ongoing stormwater drain project outside Somalwar Nikalas School, the site continues to pose a serious risk to students and commuters, with deep excavation pits.A visit at the site on Saturday showed large open pits, allegedly 12-15 feet deep, still lying uncovered along the busy road outside the school. A local citizen demonstrated the depth by lowering a 22-25-foot bamboo pole into one of the pits, claiming that more than half the pole disappeared into the excavation. With floodwater receding, the pits are now concealed by loose soil and dust, making them difficult to spot for motorists and pedestrians.Parents and residents alleged despite the massive flooding on July 28, there has been little progress in restoring the stretch. They warned the uncovered excavations pose a major hazard, particularly with schools functioning normally and heavy vehicular movement during opening and closing hours.In an affidavit filed before the court following the flooding, NMC distanced itself from the project, stating the waterlogging outside the school occurred due to the ongoing stormwater drain work being executed by the state PWD (World Bank Division) between Padole Square and Somalwar School, extending towards Swalambi Nagar.The civic body clarified the project is being executed by State PWD and not by NMC, although it had granted an NOC in Sept 2025 after PWD sought permission. The NOC required strict compliance with conditions, including protection of existing municipal infrastructure.Following the flooding, NMC said it issued directions to the PWD on July 30, asking it to adopt additional measures during execution. NMC also stated it has been coordinating with the executing agency and has instructed all zonal officers to prioritise safety around schools, deploy manpower, remove obstructions and coordinate with traffic cops to ensure safe access for students.
