Hyderabad: A heartfelt plea by a group of schoolgirls to fix flooded underpasses along the Outer Ring Road moved HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath to the extent that he ordered to remove silt and restore the drainage system on a war footing.
In a petition submitted to the Commissioner on Friday, the schoolgirls from Chinna Golkonda and Pedda Golkonda said flooded underpasses along the Outer Ring Road often leave them stranded during the rains.
The students explained how an RTC bus they were travelling in recently stalled under a waterlogged underpass, disrupting their commute to school.
Responding immediately, Commissioner Ranganath visited the affected locations and instructed officials to remove silt and restore proper drainage in the flood canals leading to the underpasses.
Desilting must continue, says Commissioner
The Commissioner used the opportunity to emphasize that desilting of stormwater drains must continue without interruption. With the rains subsiding, he directed HYDRAA DRF and MET teams to intensify the removal of silt from major drains to ensure a flood-free Hyderabad next year.
He inspected the ongoing desilting operations at Rahmathnagar and Borabanda in the Jubilee Hills constituency and noted that the extensive cleaning works taken up this year had already helped prevent serious waterlogging despite heavy rains.
Real-time updates through WhatsApp Groups
Commissioner Ranganath suggested that area-wise WhatsApp groups be created so that citizens can share real-time updates about blockages, overflow, or stagnation. These updates, he said, would enable officials to respond swiftly to ground-level issues and improve coordination among field teams.
Lakes to act as Natural Flood Barriers
Later, the HYDRAA chief reviewed several lakes, including Kaprai Lake at Hariharapur, Narasimha Lake in Shamshabad and Pedda Golkonda, and Komati Kunta in Balapur mandal, stressing that lake development and rejuvenation are key to flood management.
He instructed that lakes be maintained at manageable levels before the next monsoon so they can hold excess runoff during heavy rains. Locals at Hariharapur complained that the Kaprai Lake lacked proper outlets, causing water to backflow into colonies.
The Commissioner ordered officials to create adequate outlets matching the inflow capacity to prevent future inundation.
Locals raise concern over encroachments, elevated roads
Residents of Shamshabad also drew attention to the Narasimha Lake, where a raised bund had been converted into a road, leading to flooding of nearby layouts and agricultural lands. At ORR Exit 15, water stagnation was found obstructing traffic movement.
Commissioner Ranganath said the lake’s Full Tank Level (FTL) would be verified with irrigation authorities, and measures would be taken to prevent encroachments and ensure proper drainage. Similar directions were issued after inspecting Komati Kunta in Balapur, where residents complained that its area had reduced due to a bund built within the FTL limits.
Citywide mission against floods
Reaffirming HYDRAA’s commitment, Commissioner Ranganath said the agency would adopt a citywide, year-round desilting and lake rejuvenation plan to make Hyderabad flood-resilient by the next monsoon.
He was accompanied by HYDRAA Additional Director Varla Papayya, ACPs Thirumal and Umamaheshwara Rao, and other senior officials during the inspection.
