Alleging delay in execution of culvert construction works at Bahadurpura in the Old City, Majlis activists along with two legislators and dozen-odd corporators staged a protest demonstration in front of Sardar Mahal -- south zone office of the GHMC on Monday.
The legislators complained that during rains the storm water drain near the Mohammedia Hospital at Bahadurpura overflows and floods the thoroughfare affecting the traffic movement for hours on the stretch. “The problem has been persisting for the last few years but officials are ignoring it. The works were sanctioned about a year ago but have not yet started,” complained Bahadurpura legislator Mohd. Moazam Khan. Charminar Majlis legislator Ahmed Pasha Quadri, too participated in the protest.
The sit-in which began at around 1 p.m. ended a couple of hours later after senior officials of the GHMC including R. Dhan Singh, Engineer-in-Chief and N. Ravi Kiran, Zonal Commissioner, South, spoke to the legislators and promised them to take up the works at the earliest.
Speaking to press persons Mr. Dhan Singh said that the culvert construction works were sanctioned a year ago with a budget of Rs. 90 lakh. “We tried to start the works at least thrice but could not do so for various reasons. It is true there is inconvenience to the public but we are adopting all possible options to reduce it,” he claimed. The problems faced by commuters due to the overflowing drain has been highlighted in these columns few days ago where it was explained how motorists were forced to take a long detour of about five kilometres to reach either Kishanbagh from Bahadurpura junction or vice-versa whenever the water gushed out.
