LUCKNOW, March 21 -- A mere 30-minute downpour (18mm through the day) on Friday morning was all it took to expose failures in the city's drainage network. The sudden showers around 10am left several arterial roads and residential pockets waterlogged, highlighting what citizens described as the "Lucknow Municipal Corporation's (LMC) failure to manage even short-duration rainfall." The situation led to traffic congestion at key stretches, affecting office-goers and daily commuters. During a visit by Hindustan Times, areas such as Ahimamau, Arjunganj, Indira Nagar near Sector 25 intersection and parts of Gomti Nagar Extension reported significant water accumulation. Commuters travelling along Shaheed Path also encountered inconvenience, as waterlogging triggered bottlenecks. Similar concerns emerged from Indira Nagar, where residents flagged recurring issues of poor drainage and delayed water clearance. Despite the on-ground situation, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar maintained that the LMC has largely eliminated waterlogging issues in the city. However, Friday's rainfall appeared to contradict these claims, with multiple localities witnessing immediate flooding after a short spell of rain. Residents pointed to inadequate drain cleaning and poor maintenance of stormwater channels as key reasons behind the recurring problem. In many areas, clogged drains prevented rainwater from flowing into nearby nullahs, resulting in water accumulation on roads. HT witnessed that in the Ahimamau area, waterlogging was caused by overflowing sewer lines. Residents revealed that choked lines are causing the problem. Harshit Singh, a resident of Ashiana, stressed the city's preparedness ahead of the monsoon, emphasizing the need for regular drain desilting and better planning of water discharge systems....