Hyderabad: Inundation woes plague residents near city RuBs

• Residents near RuBs face annual monsoon inundation issues
• Overflowing nalas cause severe flooding in surrounding areas
• Haphazard construction narrows nalas, worsening flood risks
• Local activists demand permanent solutions from civic authorities
• Talab Katta and Malakpet experience up to four feet flooding
• Temporary fixes fail to address recurring inundation problems
• Recent rains halted traffic for hours in affected areas

Hyderabad: Each year, the monsoon is coupled with immense losses for the residents of various areas, especially those residing near the Railway under Bridge (RuB), as they are inundated by every heavy downpour. Just in the flood-like situation on the banks of the river. Residents face problems after nalas overflow, dreading inundation, and urge the permanent fixation of the water inundation issue at RUBs.

The residents of Malakpet, Azampura, Yakutpura, and Talab Katta, residing near the RUBs in the GHMC Charminar zone, have been facing innumerable difficulties during rains. A nala situated beside these four RuBs is resulting in overflow and inundation of the surrounding area. Around three to four feet of rainwater inundate these RUBs.

“It has been observed that the nalas, which have become narrower owing to haphazard construction activity, now face the real problem even as huge quantities of waste can be seen floating on the surface, causing the inundation of these RuBs and surrounding areas. With no seriousness by the civic body in clearing the debris and desilting nalas, it overflows and inundates at RuB," says Mohammed Ahmed, a local activist.

Several areas, like Talab Katta RuB and its surroundings, Hafiz Nagar in Rein Bazar, Yakutpura railway station, Sadat Nagar, Ganga Nagar, Azampura, and Malakpet, are in waters up to four feet and above in each heavy rain. “For the last several years, these RuBs and surrounding areas have been inundated in every monsoon, but no permanent solution has been taken by the civic body. Even this monsoon, the situation is the same, and we residents are the ones who suffer,” said Kamlesh, a resident of Malakpet.

The local corporator said, “Several works were taken up to solve the inundation issue, however, the RuB falls for both the civic body and railways. The works related to the civic were completed to ensure the water inundation,” said Mohammed Shafi, a corporator in the Old Malakpet division.

Abdul Rahman, another activist, said that for the last several years, several projects have been taken up, but only temporary solutions were found by the authorities. “I fear that the condition of these areas will be the same as in previous years. In recent rains, these RuBs have again inundated at least four feet, and traffic was halted for hours in Malakpet and Yakutpura. Traffic was cleared after the water was drained,” said Rahman.

“As a part of the monsoon action plan, the desilting works were completed in these nalas, but the civic body has to desilt the nala in depth so that the water flows freely during heavy downpours. But the GHMC is only doing temporary works by desilting hardly two feet in each nala and keeping the debris aside, which is causing the water to log in RuBs and the localities to be inundated,” emphasised Rahman.