HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath Says Poor Canal Maintenance Causes Urban Floods, Highlights Hyderabad Flood Control Measures
HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath said poor flood canal maintenance is a major cause of urban flooding while highlighting Hyderabad's lake restoration and flood control measures at LBSNAA, Mussoorie.
Hyderabad/Mussoorie: A. V. Ranganath, Commissioner of HYDRAA, said poor maintenance of flood canals and obstruction of natural water flow are major causes of urban flooding. Speaking at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie during a training programme for IAS officers, he said protecting chain-linked lakes, flood canals, and natural drainage systems is essential to control floods. He also explained the flood mitigation and environmental protection measures being undertaken by HYDRAA in Hyderabad.
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HYDRAA Commissioner Addresses IAS Officers at LBSNAA
A.V. Ranganath delivered a session on “Strategies for Disaster Management to Prevent Urban Flood Risk” at LBSNAA in Mussoorie on Tuesday.
The training programme was organised to build the capacity of IAS officers working in urban development, administration and town planning departments of the Central and State Governments.
During his presentation, he explained the causes of urban flooding and suggested measures required to reduce flood risks.
Flood Canal Maintenance and Natural Water Flow Are Critical
The HYDRAA Commissioner said urban flooding has become common due to climate change, cloudbursts and deficiencies in the maintenance of flood canals.
He said protecting chain-linked lakes and ensuring that natural floodwater flow is not obstructed are essential lessons for every city.
According to him, protecting lakes and flood canals from encroachments can significantly reduce flood risks.
HYDRAA’s Work Appreciated by IAS Officers
Through a PowerPoint presentation, A.V. Ranganath explained HYDRAA’s role in:
- Environmental protection
- Flood prevention
- Removal of encroachments from lakes and flood canals
- Protection of parks
- Roads
- Government land
- Public utility land
IAS officers from different states appreciated HYDRAA’s work.
Several officers remarked that protecting 2,471 acres by removing encroachments within two years was a significant achievement.
They also praised HYDRAA for removing encroachments from lakes and flood canals covering more than 480 acres in Hyderabad within two years despite many cities continuing to struggle with similar problems.
The officers also enquired about:
- The use of technology in fixing the Full Tank Level (FTL) of lakes.
- Court cases related to encroachments.
- How HYDRAA handles political pressure while removing encroachments.
Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi Highlight Flood Challenges
The Commissioner said the experiences of Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi show that giving priority to real estate development over natural water channels, lakes, rivers and wetlands has weakened natural drainage systems.
He said nearly 80–90% of urban land in many cities has become concretised, preventing rainwater from percolating into the ground and causing roads and residential areas to flood.
Mumbai’s Drainage Challenges
Ranganath said Mumbai’s Mithi River has lost its width and depth due to encroachments, garbage and construction debris.
He noted that Mumbai’s drainage system, designed during the British era, can handle only 25 millimetres of rainfall per hour, while the city now experiences 50–100 millimetres or more per hour.
He added that when heavy rainfall coincides with high tide, water cannot be discharged into the sea, resulting in flooding.
Delhi’s Outdated Drainage System
The Commissioner said encroachments on the Yamuna River floodplains and an outdated drainage system continue to affect Delhi.
He noted that the city’s drainage master plan was prepared in 1976 for a population of 60 lakh, but despite the population increasing fourfold, corresponding improvements to the drainage system have not been made.
HYDRAA Prioritising Flood Canal Maintenance in Hyderabad
Ranganath said Hyderabad is also facing similar challenges despite being known for its chain-linked lakes.
He said HYDRAA is giving priority to protecting lakes and maintaining flood canals.
Although removing lake encroachments is a challenging task, HYDRAA has continued the exercise, he said.
During the first phase, HYDRAA restored 6 lakes, removed encroachments from 75 acres, carried out large-scale desilting, and improved lake inlets and outlets, reducing flood risk in surrounding areas.
The agency is now restoring 14 more lakes, where encroachments are being removed to protect more than 150 acres.
Disaster Response Teams Working During Monsoon
The Commissioner said HYDRAA’s Disaster Response Teams and Monsoon Response Teams are working throughout the rainy season.
Large-scale desilting is also being carried out in flood canals connecting lakes.
He highlighted that encroachments were removed from the Patny Nala in Secunderabad, protecting eight colonies located upstream from flood risk.
He also said blocked underground pipelines in Ameerpet were cleaned to prevent flooding.
According to the Commissioner, Hyderabad residents are witnessing these improvements directly, cooperating with HYDRAA’s anti-encroachment drives and welcoming the agency’s initiatives.
HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath said poor maintenance of flood canals and obstruction of natural water flow are major reasons for increasing urban floods. Speaking at LBSNAA in Mussoorie, he highlighted HYDRAA’s efforts in Hyderabad, including protecting 2,471 acres, removing encroachments from more than 480 acres, restoring lakes, desilting flood canals and deploying Disaster Response and Monsoon Response Teams to reduce flood risks.
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