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Hearing the suo moto PIL concerning the severe waterlogging crisis in Prayagraj due to incessant rain, the Allahabad High Court today directed the Municipal Corporation, Prayagraj, to ensure that sufficient water pumps are deployed on the ground so that all low-lying areas of the city facing waterlogging issues are cleared within the next 24 hours.

A Bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prashad passed the directions today while hearing the suo motu proceedings concerning waterlogging and failure of civic amenities in Prayagraj.

The Court is also concerned with the non-implementation of the State Government's December 20, 2024 policy for the preparation of a Drainage Master Plan.

It may be noted that Yesterday, the Court had directed the authorities, particularly the Municipal Commissioner, to clear low-lying, waterlogged areas within 24-48 hours and permitted the pumping of accumulated rainwater through Mori Gate, Daraganj, as an emergency measure.

HC Gives 24-Hour Deadline To Clear Waterlogging

Appearing before the Court today, Municipal Commissioner Seelam Sai Teja, informed the bench that he was hopeful that rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas would be pumped out within the next 4 to 8 hours.

He added that sanitation work would simultaneously be undertaken to prevent health hazards arising from stagnant rainwater.

He further informed the Bench that sufficient pumps had been installed at various locations with the assistance of U.P. Jal Nigam (Urban), Prayagraj, and that the process of removing rainwater was underway.

He also stated that an emergency short-term plan and a State policy for a long-term plan were in place to prevent recurrence of such waterlogging during heavy rainfall.

Senior Advocates appearing before the Court, however, submitted that the situation remained "grim and pathetic". The bench was informed that several areas are still waterlogged and that lawyers' chambers and residential areas had also been affected.

A need for sufficient pumps and sanitation work was also stressed upon. Considering the same, the bench directed the Municipal Corporation to ensure thus:

"...all the low lying areas of city Prayagraj which are facing grim situation on account of waterlogging due to heavy rain, get cleared and complete sanitation work is carried out by the municipal corporation in these areas to ensure that no health issue emerges out on account of this emergent situation that has happened".

The Municipal Commissioner was specifically directed to ensure that enough pumps were installed wherever waterlogging continued and that the rainwater was pumped out within the next 24 hours.

The Court further directed that the required pumps be obtained from U.P. Jal Nigam (Urban), Prayagraj. If the Jal Nigam lacks sufficient pumps, the State Government has been directed to make the requisite number available within 12 hours.

The Municipal Commissioner was also directed to assess the situation within 2-3 hours and arrange the required pumps. The Court made it clear that it did not want to hear at the next hearing that the city's low-lying areas were still waterlogged.

The Court also directed the Municipal Commissioner to file a personal affidavit of compliance containing ward-wise and area-wise details of the portions of Prayagraj that had faced waterlogging due to incessant rain.

The Court has also sought details of those drains that are still choked, for whatever reason and whether desilting of the drains had been done in the recent past before the monsoon arrived.

The Court specifically sought details of the plan for removing silt from the underground drain passing under the railway bridge of Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, George Town and Sohabatiyabagh.

Importantly, Additional Advocate General Manish Goel placed before the Bench a personal affidavit of the Secretary, Urban Planning and Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, along with directives issued under the December 20, 2024 notification concerning a long-term plan for controlling waterlogging and storm-water management.

The Court was also informed that an Apex Level Committee, chaired by the Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, had been constituted for project implementation and that its meeting minutes had been placed on record.

Considering these submissions, the bench opined that these short-term measures may not be sufficient to ensure that the city of Prayagraj does not face such problems in the future.

It added that desilting of drains, construction of new drains and development of central area of rain water drain, would be long drawn plan and it would be a matter of larger public interest

In view of this, the Court appointed Senior Advocate Rakesh Pande as Amicus Curiae to assist it in the proceedings.

Noting that the matter concerns the "larger public interest affecting the life of the citizens of Prayagraj", the bench permitted affected persons and those wishing to place plans or suggestions before the Court to do so through the Amicus Curiae.

The Municipal Commissioner has been directed to submit a fresh personal affidavit of compliance, failing which he will have to appear before the Court. The matter has been listed for August 25, 2026 at 2 PM.

Earlier on August 18, the High Court had taken suo moto note of the waterlogging caused by incessant rain in the city of Prayagraj. The bench was informed that the issue had affected several parts of Prayagraj and that advocates and their clerks were unable to reach the Court.

The Court had observed that the inability of advocates and their clerks to reach Court and the destruction of case records “directly affects the Administration of Justice.”

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