One year after the devastating floods shook eastern Hyderabad to the core, heavy rains are still dreaded and colonies are submerged in water. Works completed by civic authorities at some locations have brought about only partial relief.
Ayyappa Colony in Bandlaguda, which was flooded during the rains in October, 2020, experienced inundation yet again. The slum came up within the full tank level of Bandlaguda Lake, which filled up during the rains last year and rushed into homes of the poor, destroying their houses and livelihoods. Several people escaped to safer localities and rented homes outside when water had not cleared even after a month or two.
This year, the same scenario repeated, with homes besieged by water mixed with sewage on all sides. Efforts are on by locals to fill the water-laden streets with tractor-loads of sand and debris. “I lost many valuables such as TV and fridge last year and this year too. Only, this time, I am without a job thanks to the pandemic, and cannot afford to buy them afresh,” says Satyanarayana, a resident fishing out a cot from water.
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He is now staying on rent in a locality nearby, visiting his home daily to see if there is any improvement.
Locals allege a box drain constructed from the Pedda Cheruvu of Mansurabad up to the Bandlaguda Lake has only worsened the situation, by dumping here all the excess flows from upstream.
Last year, Saraswathi Nagar area experienced flooding due to surplus water from Mansurabad Pedda Cheruvu, to avoid which the box drain has been constructed.
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Flooding prevented at Saraswathi Nagar is now diverted to Bandlaguda Lake, where the heavily encroached surplus weir is insufficient to carry the flows downstream. “We need to take up another box drain from Bandlaguda Lake up to Musi River to address the flooding issue,” said an official from GHMC pleading anonymity.
One more box drain to empty flood water from areas such as Vanasthalipuram and Chintalkunta is progressing at a snail’s pace. Once completed, it will enhance outflows from Mansurabad Pedda Cheruvu, and add to the travails of Ayyappa Colony residents.
The flooding situation remains same in Saroornagar Lake, downstream of which areas such as Kodandaram Nagar and Seesala Basthi are inundated every time it rains even moderately.
Last year, the lake’s surplus water rushed up to Chaitanyapuri, flooding colonies en route.
GHMC officials blame the neighbouring Meerpet Municipal Corporation, which has built drains from Meerpet Tank, Mantrala Cheruvu and Chandan Cheruvu to dump large amounts of surplus water into Saroornagar Lake, which in turn has rendered the existing surplus channel ineffective.
“Tenders have been finalised for expanding the surplus channel through a box drain up to Musi River. Sanction has been given for ₹8 lakh. We shall begin the work as soon as rains stop,” said an official.