Nagpur: The heavy rains that lashed Nagpur on Tuesday have triggered serious questions over the role of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) zonal engineers and officials, with residents demanding to know how cement roads were allowed to be constructed at elevated levels while stormwater drainage systems were blocked or neglected.

Large parts of the city witnessed severe waterlogging after just a few hours of rainfall, with floodwaters entering homes, shops, schools and colleges. In several areas, rescue operations had to be carried out to safely evacuate children, reviving memories of the devastating floods that struck the city on September 23, 2023.

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Citizens allege that while the city has undergone extensive cement road construction in recent years, little attention was paid to preserving or upgrading the existing stormwater drainage network. In many locations, newly constructed roads were reportedly built significantly higher than the previous road level, preventing rainwater from flowing into drains and instead forcing it into residential and commercial areas.

Questions are now being raised over how such projects received technical approval. Residents argue that it was the responsibility of NMC’s zonal engineers and supervising officials to ensure that road construction complied with engineering standards and did not obstruct natural water flow or existing drainage infrastructure.

The criticism comes at a time when the civic body has already spent nearly ₹1,040 crore on four phases of cement road construction and is preparing to launch a fifth phase worth ₹900 crore, announced in the municipal budget.

According to construction norms, contractors are expected to maintain or improve stormwater drainage while executing road projects. However, residents claim that in several areas drainage lines were either narrowed, covered or blocked during construction, resulting in widespread flooding during heavy rain.

The annual pre-monsoon desilting drive has also come under scrutiny, with citizens alleging that despite repeated clean-up campaigns and promises following the 2023 floods, many stormwater drains remain ineffective. They also point to continued encroachments and construction along drainage channels, claiming that inadequate enforcement has further reduced the city’s ability to handle heavy rainfall.

Cement Road Project Progress
Phase Roads Constructed Cost
Phase I 30 roads ₹123 crore
Phase II 51 roads ₹324 crore
Phase III 42 roads ₹300 crore
Phase IV 33 roads ₹300 crore
Phase V* Length yet to be finalised ₹900 crore
The fifth phase has been proposed in the NMC budget.

As Nagpur prepares for another round of large-scale cement road construction, residents say the focus should first be on fixing the city’s drainage infrastructure and holding those responsible accountable. The key question now being asked is whether action will be taken against erring contractors and officials, or whether the issue will once again be washed away with the floodwaters.