Heavy rains lash Hyd’bad, RGIA terminal roof leaks

Hyderabad: The city witnessed a heavy downpour on Monday, following a weather forecast predicting light-to-moderate rainfall. Families celebrating Raksha Bandhan and visiting close ones were stuck due to the rain.

Though the recent heavy rainfall has provided much-needed relief from intense heat and humidity, waterlogging has become a major concern. Roads in several low-lying areas are submerged, leading to traffic disruptions and commuter discomfort across the city. Just half an hour of rain wreaked havoc across various parts of the city, with low-lying areas being the worst affected. Yousufguda, Tolichowki, Shaikpet, Attapur, and Upperpally were particularly hard-hit, as water gushed into houses and submerged several roads. In Tolichowki, near the Rumaan Hotel, water levels reached knee-deep. At Shaikpet, the road was completely submerged, with rainwater accumulating on both sides of the central median.

Waterlogging and traffic jams were reported at Madhapur, Jubilee Hills, Kukatpally, Yousufguda, Ameerpet, Punjagutta, and Kachiguda, among other places in the city. Vehicular traffic was moving at a snail’s pace due to the extensive waterlogging on the roads.

Other areas like Paradise, CTO, and Rasoolpura towards Prakashnagar, as well as from PTI, Mahaveer, and Masab Tank towards NMDC, were also affected, and traffic was slowed down.

As waterlogging continues to occur, netizens are taking to social media to share their frustrations and challenges. “Just a short spell of rain can create havoc in Hyderabad. All that glitter is not gold,” posted Srikanth Manda.

“Welcome to Hyderabad. The corruption failed to rectify drainage water flow,” posted Vyas Lakhan.

Additionally, the traffic police in several areas, with the help of DRF workers, cleared the rainwater from the main roads where it had accumulated.

Meanwhile, following the heavy rains, water leaked into a terminal at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). A video circulating on social media shows passengers walking through the terminal while water drips from the roof onto the floor. This footage raises concerns about the infrastructure’s resilience during extreme weather conditions.

In response to videos of the incident that surfaced online, the Hyderabad Airport authorities admitted to the leakage at the terminal building. “We immediately inspected the roof, and there is absolutely no leakage/choking/water stagnation/foreign objects on the roof. Our team is engaging with the technical experts to ensure this spillage into the terminal should not happen again,” read the statement from the authorities at the RGI Hyderabad Airport.

“The team is monitoring the weather conditions and is well-equipped to address challenges arising due to the torrential rain. We apologise for any inconvenience caused in this regard,” it added.