Lucknow: Lucknow Development Authority said flooding in several parts of the city was a result of heavy rainfall, substantial upstream inflows into Gomti river and the susceptibility of low-lying neighbourhoods along the river and its floodplain.A senior LDA official said the situation could not be pinned on a single agency, arguing that statutory responsibilities are divided among multiple departments that oversee river regulation, floodplains, embankments and urban development. The official said the irrigation department and other competent authorities handle river and floodplain regulation, while LDA’s mandate is limited to planned urban development and civic infrastructure within its notified area.The official said decisions on floodplain demarcation, river alignment and restrictions on construction are governed by the prevailing legal framework and cannot be taken unilaterally by LDA. Projects that require inter-departmental permissions are taken up only after clearances are secured, the official said, citing Green Corridor project as an instance where approvals were obtained before execution.LDA also pointed to embankment-related works along Green Corridor, saying the infrastructure has helped protect developed zones, including areas around Ekana Stadium and Police Headquarters, from floodwater intrusion. It said ongoing works are intended to reduce flood vulnerability in localities such as Arjunganj and Sultanpur Road corridor.The clarification comes amid questions over urban development along Gomti floodplain after widespread inundation was reported across parts of the city. Under the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, District Ganga Committee—chaired by the district magistrate and comprising officials from LDA, irrigation department and other agencies—monitors activities affecting the river, its banks and floodplains, and provides for scrutiny and approvals of specified interventions.LDA said allegations linking a particular development to flooding should be evaluated through statutory records, floodplain demarcation and permissions granted, and by identifying the jurisdiction of the concerned authority, rather than assigning blame without technical assessment.
