Hyderabad: Locals rue over lack of development, amenities

The Dabeerpura division (30) under Charminar constituency is one of the oldest localities where Dabeerpura Darwaza, one of the two surviving gateways out of 13 Qutub Shahi era gateways of Hyderabad, is located. The division covers Dabeerpura, Purani Haveli, Dabeerpura nala area, Darulshifa, Balshetty Keth, Komatwadi, Central Bus Stand, Kali Khabar Road, Shaik Faiz Kaman.

The division comprising around 40 per cent slums has a total population of 62,000 out of which 50,879 are voters. Earlier, the division was named as Noor Khan Bazar division, later in 2009 it was named as Dabeerpura division. With Muslims being the majority population, AIMIM has been winning the GHMC elections for several terms and, in the last 2016 elections Mirza Riyaz-ul-Hassan Effendi won with 10,815 votes against Mohammed Zeeshan from TRS party with just 4,341 votes. However, after the corporator became MLC a by-election was held in January 2020 and it was once again won by MIM candidate, Mir Basith Ali. This year Alamdar Hussain Khan is contesting. A total of 9 candidates are in fray including TRS, BJP, INC, TDP, AIMIM (Inquilab) and 3 independents.

Major issues

The major issue troubling the residents of Dabeerpura is lack of major developmental works in the localities. Several areas lack basic facilities. The area is one of the oldest since the Qutub Shahi dynasty and has a history of civic issues such as bad roads, contaminated water supply, severe sewage overflow, lack of UPHCs, parks and most importantly poor sanitation.

Flooding during rains has been a constant issue in slums near Dabeerpura nala, several colonies have an old drainage system and have a sewage overflow. Many slum areas lack even basic facilities, and the nala overflow is the pressing issue and every time it rains the localities get flooded, particularly during monsoon. "During the last election, the corporator promised to develop Dabeerpura nala but the works are still pending and some of them are being carried on for more than a year. No new or major development works have been initiated," said Mohammed Ahmed, social activist. The residents are craving for good government health care, as the area has only one UPHC and that too running from a 50-year-old dilapidated structure," he added.

Several inner roads and by-lanes in many localities do not have proper roads. Most of them were laid several years back. "Even after many complaints to the GHMC we are facing neglect. Due to lack of hygiene the colonies have become breeding grounds of mosquitoes," Jeevan, a resident of Balshetty Keth.