Life has come a full circle for the residents of East Anandbagh area of Malkajgiri Circle, as they are forced to re-live the horror of surviving in inundated houses. It was in the same month in 2017 when their houses were inundated by flood waters, forcing them to either leave their homes or wait for rescue boats to take them to a safer place.
Post the incessant downpour that started on Tuesday evening and continued till the early hours of Wednesday, the residents have been forced to go through the same ordeal that they faced in 2017.
“At 2 a.m., water began to enter our home. Learning from 2017, we quickly secured valuable things, locked the house, and left for our daughter’s place at Malkajgiri,” said Savitri, a home-maker, who returned on Wednesday to find a home full of sludge and garbage.
There were several among the 1,000-odd families in the area, who could not leave their homes for lack of transport facility.
“I took shelter at my neighbour’s home upstairs, and spent a sleepless night looking at the streets being flooded. Receiving the news, my husband stayed back in the city at a friend’s place. My house is locked, and water must have entered refrigerator and iron bureau. I fear to take a look inside now,” says D. Swathi, another woman.
Streets became virtual streams in areas such as Shirdi Nagar and NMDC Colony. People were found cautiously wading through the water, scared of any open manhole. An unattended boat left at the location was being dragged around playfully by children and the GHMC’s entomology workers were seen diligently spraying the waters and homes, to arrest any disease outbreak.
Locals claimed that they received no help whatsoever from either the GHMC or the district authorities. No disaster rescue forces were seen at the location.
“Water entered our hut in the midnight, and I had to be awake sitting on a cot, with my infant granddaughter in my lap. We had nowhere to go. Even in the morning, nobody came for our rescue. I have not even had a drop of tea till now,” fumed Peddintlamma, a woman who runs an iron shop at Perumal Nagar.
“It is taking us an hour to walk up to the main road through this water. But I am forced to go, as customers are making frantic calls for ironed clothes,” she rued.
“Officials who arrived with relief did not cross the main road, where they took pictures distributing food and other essentials,” claims her neighbour Ramu.
Inundation has been a chronic issue at East Anandbagh, which is heavily constructed, hampering rainwater drainage. Widening of the nala has been on the cards for quite a while, but property acquisition has remained an insurmountable hurdle.
“Residents are to be blamed for this havoc. A few of them gave up properties willingly, while several people approached court against it,” says A. Swapna, another resident.
The GHMC officials did not respond to queries.
