Hyderabad: ‘Allah rahem karo’ say residents of Kishanbagh, Bahadurpura, other areas

Hyderabad: “God Save Us from rains and the nightmare we have been facing every year,” is the new prayer of people of Bahadurpura, and Kishanbagh.

With Monsoon about a month away, they are recalling the nightmare they experienced during the previous years. Several localities in these areas get inundated every year.

Despite the claims made by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation regarding the efforts they had made to prevent inundation, nalas and drain systems continue to overflow leading to flooding of these areas. Residents of these areas wonder where the crore of rupees GHMC claims to have spent had gone?

The low-lying localities are worst affected as the residents have been suffering loss of property as houses get submerged in rainwater damaging the household items and vehicles. They told Hans India that with open nalas being replaced by box-type drains, these areas were witnessing waterlogging.

Mohammed Ahmed, social activist said that the areas in the Charminar and Bahadurpura circles, including Kishanbagh, Nawab Sahab Kunta, Mecca Colony, Teelgalkunta, Tadban, Hassan Nagar, Kalapather, Shastripuram and other surrounding areas get flooded with water during rains. “This has been witnessed for more than a decade now, and the civic body has failed to prevent flooding.

The recent rains showed that no works were taken up to prevent waterlogging. The routine waterlogging points at Kishanbagh, Mecca Colony, Bahadurpura and other areas, continued to face problems of waterlogging. Claims may be on paper but ground reality is different, says Ahmed.

People of Kishanbagh complained that their area has been facing the problem of inundation for over decade. Bad planning of the GHMC makes it worse,” said Syed Mehraj, a resident.

SQ Masood, another resident of Mecca Colony said, “The GHMC carried out two initiatives by spending around Rs 1.5 crore and widened the nalas in the area and constructed a box drain to counter rains. But the problem could not be solved.”

The situation remains the same in Tadban, Kalapather, NS Kunta due to the absence of a proper drain system. Following floods, authorities sanctioned works after the 2020 floods. Still the works are not complete and they continue to suffer. With monsoon just a month away, they are worried over the problems and loss they may have to suffer. Leaders come and go but nothing happens said Mohammed Azeem of Tadban.