Residents allege negligence as garbage collection collapses across Lucknow

Lucknow: Garbage collection has faltered across several parts of Lucknow, with residents alleging civic negligence and private contractors failing to maintain regular door-to-door lifting ahead of the festive season. While the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) maintains that sanitation services are functioning normally, conditions on the ground point to missed routes, irregular pickups and growing piles of waste in multiple neighbourhoods.
Two private firms responsible for collecting across eight municipal zones are at the centre of complaints. Residents insist that collection-vehicles that once arrived daily are now appearing sporadically, forcing households to store waste indoors or dispose of it in vacant plots and at street corners. The disruption, locals claim, has continued for nearly a month, worsening as temperatures rise and concerns about disease and pest infestation increase. A field check across Jankipuram Vistar, Aliganj, Faizullaganj, Gomti Nagar, Indira Nagar, Alambagh and Aishbagh found garbage lying uncleared for days at designated dumping points and along roadsides. In several locations, waste was scattered by stray animals, intensifying foul odour and creating unsanitary conditions for pedestrians and nearby residents. Faizullaganj and adjoining newly added wards were described by locals as among the worst affected. Residents alleged that the sanitation agency assigned to the area is covering less than half the households. "The collection vans arrive only once every three to four days. Sometimes they don't come at all. We are left with no option but to keep waste inside our homes," said Ramesh Verma, a resident of Preeti Vihar in Faizullaganj ward. Shabana Khan, another resident, said open dumping has compounded the problem. "Garbage scattered by stray animals leaves a foul smell that lingers all through the day," she said. In Patel Nagar of Ismailganj ward, heaps of waste were seen piled at collection points. Sunita Singh, a resident, said repeated complaints brought only short-lived action. "They come after complaints, but the situation returns to the same state. Waste just keeps accumulating," she said. Residents in Alambagh and Aishbagh cited shortages of vehicles and sanitation workers, and said promised festive special drives had not been visible. Trader Mohammad Arif said routine lifting had slowed even as market waste increased.In Aliganj, vacant plots and roadside corners have turned into informal dumping sites. Similar scenes were reported from Moulviganj, Hussainganj and stretches along Shaheed Path, where residents blamed weak monitoring and inconsistent contractor performance. Sanjeev Pradhan, environmental officer, LMC, said service gaps have been identified and complaints are being addressed on priority. He said route rationalisation and vehicle deployment issues are being rectified, and a third-party survey will assess agency performance and take further action.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !