Utter neglect reduces RUBs to pitiable state

Yakutpura: The pre-monsoon showers have shown how rainwater stagnation under RuBs in Old City can cause huge inconvenience to people and how ill-prepared the city is for the fast approaching rainy season. Now, the local GHMC officials have put the onus on the Railway authorities, throwing a question mark over the increased transportation between Yakutpura, Rein Bazaar, Edi Bazaar and Talab Katta.

Water logging in the area remains a major concern, as the rainwater inundates the entire RuB up to 5 ft, and sometimes even more. The residential areas like Yakutpura and Talab Katta suffer a lot due the water logging during the rainy season.

"Because of this, the shops and residents in the entire area and also commuters with no other connectivity suffer a lot. If it rains heavily the water logging can be witnessed for up to 6 ft at Talab Katta RuB. While in Yakutpura the water will accumulate up to 8 ft.

Last year, the water was logged over 8 ft, more than half of school bus, which was passing through in water, was inundated in water. It takes at least two hours for water to recede, that too, when locals roll up their sleeves for the task," said Abdul Rahman, a social activist.

Speaking to The Hans India, the activist said that according to RTI, last year Rs 24 lakh has been sanctioned for the works of SW drain pipeline, along with CC roads, at Talab Katta RuB. However, there is zero preparation. The residents and commuters passing through the RuB get stuck for over an hour. No relief team from GHMC is provided in the Old City. The nearby locals clear the water by themselves, he said.

For Yakutpura RuB, an amount of Rs 26 lakh was sanctioned, but the works are still pending and according to RTI, only Rs 17 lakh of works have been completed, Abdul Rahman added.

Whenever it rains heavily, the residents and commuters taking this route face hardships. The water enters the shops and houses and the water logging continues for more than two hours and it throws the traffic out of gear. "This year at least the GHMC should take necessary steps for the monsoon season. The areas near nala in Sadat Nagar, Madina Nagar, Hafiz Nagar and Ganga Nagar should have the pipelines to divide the water flow, and the GHMC relief team should be deployed in this area," he said.

"Every year, we are suffering in the rainy season. The water is logged for up to a minimum of 4 ft after every rainfall and the near-by shops and houses will be in water for 2 to 3 hours. The GHMC must take steps for the coming rainy season," said Mohammed Salman, a resident of Yakutpura. "The GHMC should at least sanction a relief team in the area for clearing the water whenever it rains. As always, it is the residents who have to clear the water each time," said Shaik Amjed.

According to the Deputy Commissioner for Santosh Nagar division K Alivelu Mangathayaru, the works of the RuBs come under the Railway Department. For clearing the water logging, the GHMC team is deployed at every RuB, she said and added that a relief team of 10 members is deployed by the GHMC in all the divisions to clear the water logging.

By MM Farooqui