LUCKNOW, Aug. 27 -- Lucknow is on the brink of major transformation, witnessing robust development. But the rain-drenched streets here unfold a different narrative, one of potholes, broken promises and eroding public trust. The city's roads continue to deteriorate, exposing the glaring gap between official claims and ground reality. Recent monsoon rains have exposed severe structural weaknesses in the road infrastructure, raising urgent questions about material quality, drainage systems and administrative accountability. Officials and residents allege that the use of substandard material during construction is at the heart of the issue. Roads touted as "long-lasting" are unable to survive even a single monsoon season. Within days of rainfall, the bitumen layer gets washed away. Even the stretches - from Lohia Path and roads beneath Shaheed Path to the road behind Vikramaditya Marg, Aliganj, Kapoorthala, Pawanpuri, Ashiana, Bangla Bazar are riddled with potholes, loose gravel and dust-choked air. These high-profile roads, meant to reflect the state capital's prestige, are now symbols of neglect and mismanagement. It's the same story across Lucknow: Broken roads and no accountability. From upscale Gomti Nagar to older localities like Thakurganj, Balaganj, Daliganj, Triveni Nagar, Indira Nagar and Chinhat, nearly 300 roads are in disrepair. At some places, people hesitate to walk outside after dark, because they are afraid they might trip into waterlogged craters or unmarked pits. Near City Station, a road has sunk so deep that scooters disappear into the crater, often submerged in rainwater. "Every hour, someone falls here," said a shopkeeper. PWD records show many such sunken locations. So far, neither the PWD nor LMC has launched a serious investigation. Ineffective drainage systems mean rainwater stagnates on the surface. Even on Lohia Path, waterlogging occurs near 1090. This leads to the softening of the road base and accelerates the deterioration of asphalt and concrete surfaces. In areas like Shaheed Path and G-20 Road, thick gravel layers and large potholes have formed due to water accumulation. Roads are repeatedly dug up by different departments without proper coordination. In areas like old Lucknow and Balaganj, roads have caved in due to unplanned digging and negligence. Rats burrowing through poorly constructed drains have also been cited as an unusual but real cause of road sinking. Despite regular complaints, no proactive repair mechanisms seem to exist. Patchwork is delayed until after monsoon season, allowing small cracks to turn into craters. Municipal engineers admit that they are waiting for rain to subside before beginning repairs on hundreds of damaged roads. The issue was raised with urgency during the recent Assembly session, but little has changed on the streets. Temporary patchwork rarely survives more than a downpour and civic authorities continue to respond with silence or vague timelines, the latest being a promise of repairs by October. Residents, however, remain skeptical, having heard similar commitments year after year. The decay isn't confined to inner lanes; it affects arterial roads frequented by VVIPs and thousands of daily commuters. Corporator Mukesh Singh Chauhan said: "If crores are spent on roads every year, why do they collapse with the first few spells of rain? Where is the accountability for contractors and officials? Mayor Sushma Kharkwal said that a city-wide pothole-free campaign will begin "soon," with a goal to fix 300 roads by October. The budget: Rs 10 crore, possibly expandable. PWD's executive engineer Satendra Nath confirmed that the first tranche of Rs 30 lakh has been received for emergency repairs. District magistrate Vishak G has also "inspected" key locations. But these statements mirror last year's promises, and the year before. "There are technologies to make long lasting roads, but they are very expensive. However, we are going to repair the roads soon," said LMC chief engineer Mahesh Varma....