The Naag river cleaning and de-silting is a race against time before the monsoon arrives. Many projects have been sanctioned, lots of meetings have taken place, but will the work complete before the rain starts pouring or like every year, the river will overflow and seep out onto the roads causing difficulties to the citizens remains to be seen. As the monsoon looms, the memory of September 23, 2023, still haunts the city, the day floodwaters from the Naag submerged nearly half of Nagpur, paralysing daily life and affecting every citizen. One might assume that such a catastrophe would compel the authorities to act. Yet, a recent on-ground inspection by ‘The Hitavada’ exposes the same sorry state of affairs.

 

At Ashok Chowk in Siraspeth, construction vehicles are parked in the riverbed, with visible effort at cleaning and de-silting. They face a race against time to be completed before the monsoon arrives. Gawalipura in Sitabuldi presents a disturbing picture, garbage clogs the river and its banks, revealing not just administrative failure, but civic irresponsibility. The confluence near Yashwant Stadium is buried under floating plastic and sludge. Despite the historic Sangam nearby, the site reeks of neglect, it appears even divine presence can’t inspire basic maintenance. The Mor Bhavan stretch, a known hotspot for the 2003 floods, remains chronically ignored. As always, the area is expected to flood once again this year, spilling contaminated water and waste onto the roads, hindering traffic and endangering health. Though the Amravati Road flyover construction is in full swing, mounds of material continue to leak into the riverbed, contaminating the already toxic water.

 

Ramdaspeth, too, offers no hope, wild shrubs have overtaken the banks, turning the river into an overgrown swamp. Every stretch of the Naag River screams for urgent attention, and not just from the a u t h o r i t i e s . Citizens too must reflect on their role in the river’s deterioration. Will there ever come a day when Nagpurians can take pride in a clean, free-flowing Naag? At this rate, the future looks grim. If immediate action isn’t taken, the city will lose not just a river, but a part of its soul. The Naag River is not just a waterway, it is a legacy on the verge of being lost.