India, Oct. 10 -- LUCKNOW Even as the Gomti receded upstream, offering a glimmer of hope, relief was yet to reach downstream stretches of the state capital. Water levels at Hanuman Setu and the Gomti barrage recorded marginal rises on Friday, contrasting with a nine-centimetre decline upstream at Bhatpurva in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm.

The drop at Bhatpurva-from 113 metres on Thursday night to 112.91 metres on Friday - had not yet translated into a consistent fall across downstream monitoring points. The contrasting readings underscore the fluctuating dynamics of the river across different city zones, even as the upstream recession signals potential relief after days of steadily rising waters.

At Gaughat, the water level held stead...