Hyderabad: Fear of inundation returns to haunt Chaderghat residents

Hyderabad: Every year, the monsoon brings immense loss to residents in low-lying areas of Chaderghat and Malakpet, as houses remain flooded due to waterlogging. The recurring overflow of Musi River during monsoon evokes a constant fear of inundation among the residents, who urgently demand a permanent solution to the water inundation problem in their areas.

Residents express their frustration at facing the annual flood problem while Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials and political leaders visit only to offer sympathy, without showing genuine interest in implementing lasting measures.

In the past three years, heavy rains and the filling of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar reservoirs have led to the release of water, causing sleepless nights for families living near Musi River in Chaderghat and Malakpet.

Approximately 400 families reside in low-lying areas close to Musi in Malakpet, including Kamal Nagar, Shanker Nagar, Moosa Nagar, and Rasoolpura. During the rainy seasons of 2020 and 2021, numerous houses in Padma Nagar and Shanker Nagar were washed away, resulting in the displacement of around 300 families who had to stay in camps for several days.

Despite repeated appeals from the residents, the authorities have failed to undertake significant measures to address the flooding of roads and houses. When heavy rains occur, the localities get submerged, and when the reservoir gates are opened, everything is washed away. In 2020 and 2021, households lost their groceries, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, and more, leaving them to start from scratch, without any assistance from officials or leaders, says Ghousia, a resident of Moosa Nagar near Chaderghat lower bridge.

According to social activists, the reduced depth of Musi River is a major cause of flooding in nearby areas. The presence of a large pile of debris and garbage is still observed. Previously, Musi River had a depth of 30-40 feet, but now it is not even half of that. If the depth of the river is not reduced, areas like Chaderghat, Nagole, and Moosarambagh may not experience flooding during rains, says Syed Bilal, vice president of the Human Rights Forum.

He further criticised the government’s tendency to blame encroachments and nearby slums whenever the development of Musi River is discussed, instead of focusing on reducing the river's depth by proper disposal of construction waste and implementing desilting and cleaning measures.