# 10 dead in UP rains, Akhilesh mocks waterlogged expressway 2026-09-27T01:01:19+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Heavy rain and strong winds killed 10 people and injured 17 across Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, damaging 117 houses and standing crops. The state recorded 19 times its normal rainfall in the 24 hours ending Saturday morning, with Lucknow receiving 125.8 mm and Banda 227.6 mm. District administrations were placed on alert, schools ordered closed in red-alert areas, and relief agencies asked to remain prepared. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted a video of severe waterlogging on the Ganga Expressway in Unnao, where water reportedly accumulated to 5-6 feet at the Sonik toll plaza. He suggested renaming it the “Ganga Express Waterway” and accused the BJP of corruption. A separate viral video, whose authenticity Times Now could not confirm, showed a man holding a fish on the flooded expressway. The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in eastern Uttar Pradesh, with isolated extremely heavy rain possible in the central Terai region. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed district magistrates to remain vigilant and visit vulnerable locations. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India Today reports 10 deaths, damaged crops, and administrative measures in a straight factual tone, while Times Now leads with a viral fish-catching video it cannot confirm. The critical framing by Akhilesh Yadav, calling it “Ganga Express Waterway”, appears in both but India Today embeds it in the broader casualty and relief story, giving context to the waterlogging issue. Neither outlet challenges the drainage concerns, but Times Now's focus on spectacle risks trivialising the fatalities. The toll plaza's repeated flooding, noted by India Today, points to an infrastructure flaw the government will have to address before the next monsoon. The relief commissioner's damage assessment and the IMD's flash flood warning for central Terai districts will determine if the state's preparedness holds. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in (neutral report) Leads with casualty figures and official response, includes Akhilesh's criticism but does not adopt it - timesnownews.com (sensationalist) Leads with unverified viral video of man catching fish, minimal coverage of deaths or official action Tags: Akhilesh Yadav, Ganga Expressway, India Meteorological Department, Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/akhilesh-slams-bjp-over-ganga-expressway-waterlogging/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/akhilesh-slams-bjp-over-ganga-expressway-waterlogging/#story-in-brief