Prayagraj battered by heavy rain as water enters homes, disrupting train operations

The Uttar Pradesh government has intensified measures to ensure the safety of schoolchildren under the ‘Mission Safe Future’ campaign while also strengthening relief and rescue operations amid flooding and waterlogging in parts of the state.

The UP Transport Department is inspecting school vehicles and verifying the backgrounds of their drivers under campaigns including ‘Mission Safe Future’.

According to a press release, the government has also stepped up flood relief and rescue operations in affected districts, with a special focus on Lakhimpur Kheri and Ayodhya. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in several districts, including Prayagraj, where search and rescue operations are underway following drowning incidents.


The two initiatives are part of the government’s broader focus on safety, preparedness and timely response during emergencies.

UP has over 82,000 school vehicles

According to Transport Department data as of August 13, Uttar Pradesh has 19,680 schools. Of these, 74,337 vehicles are registered in the names of schools, while another 8,022 vehicles have been contracted by schools. This takes the total number of school vehicles operating across the state to 82,259, the release said.

The Transport Department is conducting fitness checks on these vehicles as part of its ongoing campaigns across Uttar Pradesh.

Additional Transport Commissioner (Enforcement) KD Singh Gaur said that under ‘Mission Safe Future’ and other campaigns, priority is being given to checking the fitness of school vehicles and verifying the drivers responsible for transporting students.

The objective is to ensure that schoolchildren have access to safe transportation and that action is taken against vehicles and drivers found violating prescribed regulations.

The inspections have identified a significant number of vehicles that failed to meet the required fitness standards. A total of 6,066 school vehicles were found to be unfit during inspections conducted under various campaigns, the release said. Notices were issued against the vehicles found unfit.

Enforcement teams also issued challans to 1,072 school vehicles for violations. Another 356 vehicles were impounded for rule violations.

The Transport Department has simultaneously focused on the drivers operating school buses and vans.

According to department data, character verification of 27,066 school vehicle drivers has been completed so far. The department has issued directives to schools regarding safety checks for drivers and stressed the importance of verifying their backgrounds before they are entrusted with transporting children.

The ongoing inspections are aimed at identifying vehicles that do not meet safety requirements and ensuring corrective action, the release said.

NDRF steps up flood rescue operations

Meanwhile, the state government has intensified relief and rescue operations in flood-affected districts amid the prevailing flood and waterlogging situation.

The government and rescue agencies have urged people to remain cautious around rivers, ponds and other water bodies. People have been advised to stay away from areas with strong currents and deep water and follow safety instructions issued by local administrations.

In Prayagraj's Naini area, the 11th Battalion of the NDRF conducted an extensive search operation for a person who had drowned. The operation was carried out with the assistance of deep divers. The NDRF team recovered the person at 2:10 pm on August 18, the release said.

Following the incident, the NDRF advised members of the public to exercise extreme caution while bathing or undertaking other activities in rivers, ponds and other water bodies.

The rescue operation in Prayagraj comes as authorities continue to monitor flood and waterlogging conditions in different parts of the state.

The NDRF has urged people to exercise caution near rivers, ponds and other water bodies, particularly during the ongoing flood and waterlogging situation. People have been advised not to enter areas with strong currents or deep water.

Train operations shifted from Rambagh to Jhunsi

Train operations originating and terminating at Rambagh station in Prayagraj have been temporarily shifted to Jhunsi station due to waterlogging on the tracks following heavy rains in the city, officials said on Thursday.

"Prayagraj city is flooded following heavy rainfall over the last 24 hours. Rambagh station is located in a low-lying area and water has accumulated in its yard. Efforts are being made to drain the water, but it is flowing back," North Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Sumit Kumar told PTI.

He said efforts to drain the water were continuing and the four passenger trains that normally originate and terminate at Rambagh were, for the time being, being operated from Jhunsi.

North Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Shivam Sharma said there was no report of waterlogging at Prayagraj Junction, Naini and Prayagraj Chheoki stations and trains were running as per schedule.

Heavy rain has also caused waterlogging in several low-lying areas of the city, including areas around the Sangam such as Alopibagh, Daraganj, Allahpur, Sobatiyabagh and George Town. At some places, water has entered ground-floor houses, with residents reporting difficulties due to the inundation.

Keshav Maurya seeks permanent solution to waterlogging

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya expressed concern over the situation and called for a permanent solution to the waterlogging problem.

"Waterlogging during rains in Prayagraj is causing serious difficulties for residents. Whatever the reason may be, ensuring a permanent solution should be the top priority in the public interest," Maurya said in a post on X.

"If necessary steps had been taken in time, this situation would not have arisen today. The district administration and concerned departments should take immediate effective action and ensure concrete measures to prevent recurrence of such crises in the future," he said.

Akhilesh Yadav targets UP government

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday also targeted the Uttar Pradesh government over the situation, sharing on X a photograph showing waterlogging at a house in Prayagraj.

"These are serious conditions in Prayagraj. Anyone else, after swallowing Rs 1 lakh crore in the name of Prayagraj's development, would be so ashamed on seeing thousands of houses in this waterlogged condition that they would leave power," Yadav said in the post.

"Sir, changing the name changes nothing. If you want to change something, change your corrupt work and intentions. But even that will not change now. Therefore, the people of Uttar Pradesh and the country will now change the BJP government forever," he added.

"The BJP will go and will never return. Aerial surveys of floods will not work. If you have the courage, come down on the streets and face the people," Yadav said.

He further alleged that Rs 7,000-8,000 crore had been spent on paper and Rs 20,000 crore "without any paperwork" on image-building and projecting the government as "divine", and said the government would learn the truth about how much this had improved its image, he said.

Several low-lying areas of Prayagraj have remained inundated following heavy rainfall over the past few days, with the district administration and municipal authorities engaged in drainage operations.

The Allahabad High Court also took suo motu cognisance of the city's waterlogging and pulled up the district administration and municipal corporation, directing them to ensure proper drainage arrangements.