City deluged in ’23, river walls collapsing, funds released now Nagpur: After years of delays, the Maharashtra government finally released Rs70.76 crore on March 31, 2026, to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for post-Sept 2023 flood restoration works. The funds, part of a pending Rs72 crore allocation from the state, were intended to address critical infrastructure damage along the Nag River and its tributaries. However, civic officials admitted the money would primarily be used to clear outstanding contractor bills, raising concerns about the prioritization of urgent repairs. The NMC initially sought Rs204.71 crore for restoration efforts after the 2023 floods devastated large sections of roads, drainage systems, and retaining walls along the Nag, Pili, and Pora rivers. The state later revised the project cost to around Rs158 crore, with Rs86.5 crore already released earlier in the financial year. The latest allocation of Rs70.76 crore was critical to prevent a payment crisis for the municipal body as the financial year drew to a close. Despite the funding, the city remains vulnerable to another major flood. Recent months have seen several retaining walls along the Nag River collapse, exposing residential areas, schools, and commercial zones to potential disaster. Notable incidents include the caving of protective walls near Yeshwant Stadium in Sangam Chawl and damage reported near Panchsheel Square. Residents along the riverbanks have repeatedly complained about the lack of immediate repairs, with erosion continuing in some areas due to delayed action. Civic officials acknowledged that work on the most vulnerable stretches of the river will likely commence in the coming weeks.#maharashtra_government #nagpur_municipal_corporation #nag_river #panchsheel_square #yeshwant_stadium
Petrol Shortage Sparks Panic in Nagpur as Residents Queue for Fuel Residents of Nagpur faced significant disruptions as panic buying and rumors of a potential petrol shortage led to long queues at fuel stations across the city. On Tuesday, many commuters reported waiting for over an hour to refuel, with some forced to return empty-handed as petrol pumps ran out of stock before their turn. Shubham Tiwari, a banker, described his experience of waiting for one-and-a-half hours at a petrol pump near Panchsheel Square before the outlet closed due to depleted supplies. "I had to return without filling petrol. It was disheartening," he said. After visiting another station, Tiwari spent an additional 45 minutes to finally secure fuel. The situation escalated as panic spread, with hundreds of residents rushing to fuel stations early in the morning. This surge in demand caused temporary closures at several outlets and created chaotic scenes at petrol pumps. Commuters were left stranded, with some forced to travel between multiple stations to find available fuel. Vivek Meshram, who was waiting in line at a pump in Narendra Nagar, shared his frustration over the ordeal. "I had a family emergency and needed to travel to Amravati, but it took me around an hour to get petrol in my car while my family members waited outside. It was really frustrating that we couldn’t get fuel even during such an emergency," he said. Motorists across the city reported waiting anywhere between 45 minutes and over an hour to refuel. While some rushed to petrol pumps out of panic, others were forced into queues due to immediate needs, highlighting the widespread disruption caused by the sudden surge in demand.#nagpur #shubham_tiwari #panchsheel_square #vivek_meshram #narendra_nagar
