Prayagraj DM and municipal commissioner face High Court over urban waterlogging
Prayagraj, August 19: The Allahabad High Court, taking suo motu cognizance of severe waterlogging in Prayagraj city, heard the matter on Wednesday before a division bench comprising Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prasad.
On August 18, 2026, the court took suo motu cognizance and ordered the Municipal Commissioner and District Magistrate of Prayagraj to appear in the court on August 20. Meanwhile, another public interest litigation pending before a single bench was also added to the same division bench.
On Wednesday, both Municipal Commissioner Sheelam Sai Teja and District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma appeared in the court.
The Municipal Commissioner stated that a comprehensive plan to address the waterlogging problem has been prepared, and an affidavit will be filed by tomorrow.
Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal stated that an affidavit from the Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Department will also be submitted by tomorrow. The next hearing date was set for August 20, 2026.
The court also requested an affidavit from the Director of Local Bodies of the Uttar Pradesh government, detailing plans to provide relief to the city from rainwater.
The Municipal Commissioner informed the court that there are difficulties in draining water from the Mori Gate pipeline in Daraganj, and therefore, some interim relief should be granted in light of the court’s earlier orders. Rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas has entered people’s homes, posing a threat to the health of children. Considering this, the court granted the Municipal Commissioner permission and directed the District Magistrate to ensure that water is drained from Mori Gate, Daraganj.
The court ordered that the affected areas be cleared of flooding within the next 24 to 48 hours, and a report on the waterlogging situation be submitted tomorrow.
The Municipal Commissioner was ordered to appear in court again on Thursday, while the District Magistrate was exempted for the time being, but he may be summoned if necessary in the future.
The case will now be heard again on August 20, 2026, when the relevant affidavits will be presented to the court.
