Hyderabad: Every monsoon, people in Hyderabad, especially in low-lying areas, face severe challenges as heavy rain often causes flooding. After another bout of heavy rain, frustrated residents are calling for a lasting solution to this recurring problem.
Recent rains left many neighborhoods with flooded streets and stalled vehicles. Areas like Tolichowki, Shaikpet, Yousufguda, and parts of Nagole, Uppal, Begumpet, as well as upscale regions like Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills, faced significant waterlogging. Several parts of the Old City, including Bahadurpura, Chandrayangutta, Malakpet, Nawab Sahab Kunta, Talabkatta, and Yakutpura, were also badly affected.
Residents feel let down, noting that despite large sums spent on public projects, their areas remain waterlogged. “Despite the GHMC spending crores on various works, our colonies in Tolichowki are still flooded,” said Asif Hussain Sohail, a local from Surya Nagar Colony.
Locals and activists say that monsoon preparations are still incomplete even as the rainy season is underway. They believe this year’s problems result from unfinished projects. Videos of fast-moving water and bikes swept away in several Old City areas and elsewhere circulated widely online.
Mohammed Ahmed, vice-president of the TDP Minority Cell, pointed out that “over 70% of monsoon works are still unfinished during the ongoing rains in southern parts of the city.”
The heavy rains have led to personal losses for some. Talha Bin Amoodi, a resident with physical challenges in Jahanuma, lost items in the flooding. When he sought help from a local representative, he was advised to move out, as this long-standing issue remains unresolved.
S Ganesh from Moosarambagh noted, “Even after completing work in many colonies, waterlogging persists. In just half an hour of rain, our colony was flooded, and we fear the rains and flooding every monsoon.”
Activists claim that civic authorities are ignoring repeated complaints and blame poor engineering by the civic department for the ongoing issues. Ahmed urged, “The GHMC‘s engineering wing has failed despite spending crores to prevent flooding. The government must take serious action against officials and conduct a vigilance inquiry.”
