LUCKNOW, May 7 -- As part of the preparedness for the upcoming monsoon, Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has, so far, been able to clean only 50 per cent of the city's major drain network, as admitted by one of its senior officials on Monday. This is despite a deadline of May 31.

LMC chief engineer (Electrical and Mechanical) Manoj Prabhat said only half of the major drains spanning 68 km in length could be desilted so far.

The seven main drains where the desilting works are underway are Haider Canal, Qila Mohammadi, Husariya, Sarkata, Pata, Sagra, and Didoli. "Haider Canal is the biggest and spans 20 km from Shakuntala Mishra University to 1090 Chauraha. Qila Mohammadi in Zone 8 spans around 6 km, while Sarkata covers 9 km. Others p...