Hyderabad: Teams to keep Hawk eye on flood-prone areas

Hyderabad: With the city receiving heavy rain during late-night hours in the past two days, the 'Monsoon Emergency Teams' of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have been put on high alert 24/7 to prevent incidents, specially near nalas and canals. The teams are taking special measures. The civic body has identified 366 flood-prone areas and deployed 369 officials to monitor the situation during the heavy rain.

According to a GHMC official, a total of 168 teams have been formed to monitor roads, water-logging points, nalas, lakes and ponds during heavy rain. The corporation has got ready 64 mobile monsoon vehicles, 104 mini mobile vehicles, 160 static labor groups and 363 people to ensure safety measures in vulnerable locations.

The emergency teams are working round the clock to identify rain-related issues and alert the public to prevent damage. They are provided with safety gear and necessary equipment like shovels and drainage pumpsets. The teams will be working till October.

In the LB Nagar zone, 74 flood-prone locations have been identified and 76 officers posted. The others posted include 32 at 52 locations (Charminar zone), 81 at 85 locations (Khairatabad), 52 at 52 locations (Serilingampally), 49 at 48 locations (Kukatpally) and 79 in problematic areas in Secunderabad.

The teams will swing into action to clear rainwater from houses and roads; they will be working to avoid traffic congestion during heavy rain.

All zonal and deputy commissioners are to supervise the teams which will clear dirt, debris or mud from lanes and internal roads. In an emergency, the teams will be shifted from one area to another.

The GHMC has also set up caution boards near nalas and canals asking people/commuters not to come close to them during heavy rain. All nalas and canals have been covered with fencing and boundary walls have been raised, said the GHMC official.

Three special wings--project, security and lake--have also been formed by the corporation. He informed that the project wing has 18 officers deployed at 35 project sites to remove rainwater to continue the work, prepare labour and set up barricades, warning/sign boards with electric lights to prevent accidents at the sites.

The security wing is monitoring measures at 36 places where work is being done. Eighteen officers have been appointed for this purpose. The lake wing will be monitoring 185 water bodies with 19 officers recruited to prevent incidents.

To lodge rain related grievances citizens can call the GHMC's monsoon control room 040- 21111111