KTR: BRS brainwave SNDP saved Hyd'bad from floods

Hyderabad:The BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Monday said that the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) implemented by the KCR government was the key reason why Hyderabad was spared from major flooding despite the heavy rains in the past few days.

Rama Rao stated that the SNDP, a remarkable program initiated by then Chief Minister KCR, provided a permanent solution to the perennial flooding issue in Hyderabad. Despite the incessant downpours, the low-lying areas of the city did not experience the usual waterlogging, which KTR attributed to the success of the SNDP. Residents of the flood-affected areas have acknowledged that the SNDP was instrumental in protecting them from the deluge. He expressed gratitude to all those who were part of the SNDP implementation.

When Telangana was part of the undivided state, heavy rains and floods would inundate the low-lying areas of the city, disrupting the lives of the poor and middle-class residents. Recognising this as a critical issue, the KCR government conceived the SNDP as a comprehensive solution, KTR said. Under the SNDP, the State government undertook 60 major works worth Rs 985 crore to strengthen the city's stormwater and sewage infrastructure. This proactive measure ensured that Hyderabad was spared from the flood crisis, even without any financial assistance from the Central government, the BRS leader said.

KTR highlighted that the SNDP involved the rapid development of 36 key nalas (drainage channels) that would otherwise overflow with even minor rainfall. The fact that these areas did not witness waterlogging despite the recent heavy downpours was a testament to the success of the SNDP, as confirmed by the residents themselves. Under the erstwhile Greater Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, the stormwater and sewage systems were in a dilapidated state, leading to the merging of the two systems and creating an overall chaotic situation. As part of the SNDP, the restoration of old nalas and construction of new ones were undertaken on a war footing.