Manholes Up, Drains Down: Mahatma Phule Nagar Residents Fear Monsoon Deluge

Nagpur: A newly laid cement concrete (CC) road in Mahatma Fule Nagar under the Hanuman Nagar zone has turned into a civic nightmare for residents. Within months of completion, the stretch has developed serious defects, with raised manholes, sunken drainage outlets, and uneven surfaces raising fears of waterlogging and accidents ahead of the monsoon.Residents had earlier opposed the project, warning that increasing the road height would leave their homes at a lower level. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) assured them that a properly designed drainage and sewerage system would address these concerns. Those assurances now appear misplaced.Several manhole chambers protrude above the road surface, while drainage outlets in multiple locations lie nearly six inches below it, obstructing natural water flow. Broken paver blocks and abrupt dips have further degraded the 9-metre-wide internal road, making it unsafe for both motorists and pedestrians."The road has been raised, but the drainage has gone down. Where will the water go?" a resident asked, recalling earlier objections. "They promised proper planning, but what we see is negligence."Residents allege poor coordination between contractors handling road construction and drainage work. According to them, the drainage system was built based on earlier ground levels, while the road was later elevated without aligning the designs. "Now both have walked away, leaving us to deal with the consequences," another resident said, pointing to a protruding manhole.Sources indicate that the CC road work was carried out by a contractor linked to the Dhantoli zone, while the drainage component was handled separately, highlighting the absence of integrated planning. Alleged delays in contractor payments have further stalled corrective measures.The situation is compounded by several uncovered drainage chambers that have remained open for over two months, posing a serious safety risk. Complaints, residents say, have led to little more than departments shifting responsibility.With the monsoon approaching, concerns are intensifying. The flawed gradient is expected to cause significant water accumulation, potentially turning the area into a flood-prone zone. "We will be the worst affected once the rains begin," a resident warned.The episode underscores a persistent issue in the city—poorly coordinated infrastructure projects that disregard basic engineering standards. Despite repeated attempts, local corporator Nagesh Mankar was unavailable for comment.