Video: Rain For Two Days Drowns UP's 'Smart City' Aligarh, Sewage Enters Homes

People could be seen dragging their motorbikes through knee-deep water on the streets of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh after two days of intermittent rain. Rainwater mixed with sewage — a result of blocked drains — has entered houses, schools and administrative buildings too.

Those who drove through the water honked incessantly as a halt could lead to snags in vehicles. 

Inside the houses people were seen restricting themselves to upper floors and roofs or, since it's still raining, sitting on stacked furniture. 

Municipal Commissioner Amit Osri underlined that he's "taken charge today itself" while promising to deal with the waterlogging "on priority". 

"I have joined in the middle of rains. I carried out a survey this morning to understand the situation," he said. He also urged people not to dump garbage in drains. 

Aligarh is part of the Smart Cities Mission launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2015. "We are taking up projects related to that immediately," said the Municipal Commissioner.

Weather forecast says the city will continue to see more rain over the rest of the week.

The Aligarh Smart City Project is worth more than Rs 500 crore but still at a nascent stage. Drainage improvement is a major part of it. 

The official website says the mission is "a bold, new initiative". "It is meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the Smart City, catalysing the creation of similar Smart Cities in various regions and parts of the country," it adds.