Hyderabad: As rains continue to batter the city, citizens have increasingly raised complaints about encroachments on drains and public spaces, highlighting the flooding and waterlogging they face in various neighborhoods. The Hyderabad city helpline, HYDRAA Prajavani, has received 29 complaints this Monday alone, most of them related to blocked drains, followed by encroachments on roads and other public areas.
Residents allege that encroachments on open drains have slowed water flow, worsening flood conditions during heavy rainfall. Many also claim that silting removal is inadequate, and in some cases, unauthorized structures have compounded the problem. HYDRAA Additional Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar reviewed these complaints and assigned officials to take immediate remedial action.
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Several specific complaints were highlighted:
- Begumpet: Residents of Methodist Colony reported that heavy rainwater from surrounding areas, including Begumpet Railway Station, Country Club, and Kundanbagh, flows into their colony due to blocked drains. Despite repeated complaints, no proper action had been taken. The encroachments on drain lines, they claim, are the primary reason for flooding, affecting approximately 660 houses and nearby apartment complexes.
- Medchal-Malkajgiri: At Jodimetla Cross Roads in Pochampally Municipality, a drain was encroached upon by a private company, Medha Servo Drives, causing waterlogging on the roads and hampering vehicular movement. Residents reported stagnant sewage water accumulating in surrounding colonies, creating health and sanitation concerns.
- Rangareddy District: Residents near Errakunta Masjid-e-Kuba in Jalapalli Municipality complained that a 20-foot wide drain had been illegally blocked by a property owner, who installed a 3-foot RCC pipe. This blockage caused rainwater and sewage to overflow into the mosque and nearby residential areas, creating unhygienic conditions.
- Cherlingampally, Chandanagar: Members of the Engineers Enclave Welfare Society reported that encroachers had occupied 2,470 sq. meters of parkland (survey numbers 366 and 367) for sheds and servicing centers, depriving around 3,000 families of access to the park. Residents have demanded that the unauthorized structures be removed to restore the park for public use.
HYDRAA authorities have assured prompt action to clear blocked drains and remove encroachments where necessary, emphasizing that the protection of public spaces and proper drainage management are crucial, especially during the monsoon season. Citizens have been urged to continue reporting issues through official channels to ensure timely resolution.