Desilting of major nalas underway in GHMC limits

Hyderabad: Ahead of the monsoon, desilting works of major nalas under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is underway. The desilting works were to be completed by May 31; however, they are still going on.

Like previous years, when several localities remained waterlogged or submerged for days with stormwater drains and nalas full of silt and other waste material blocking the flow of the floodwater, the recent unseasonal rains flooded various city areas. This shows that even this season, if the works are kept pending, the city would be affected.

With the monsoon action plan, the GHMC proposed under SNDP 58 works at an estimated cost of Rs 985.45 crore. According to officials, the Charminar zone has the highest 29 works, LB Nagar five, Khairatabad six, five each in Serilingampally and Kukatpally and six in Secunderabad have been sanctioned.

Major works, including the Hussainsagar nala and the Balkapur nala, in Karwan, can prevent flooding in dozens of colonies and low-lying areas in the central part of the city. They are on at a snail’s pace and remain incomplete.

The GHMC identified over 125 locations that are affected by waterlogging; measures were taken to address the issue permanently at 22 locations. However, it has been observed that majority of works are incomplete. The desilting of nalas are also going on at a snail’s pace.

A GHMC official said, “As a safety precaution stormwater drains and culverts are being cleared of garbage. The other drains and culverts are to be cleared before the first week of June so that water flows freely in storm water drains and nalas. This will avoid water stagnation in the monsoon,” he added.

As per GHMC, the city has a drain length of 1,304 km which should be protected to prevent any untoward incidents during the monsoon. Public awareness is being created not to litter nalas

with garbage.

Mohammed Ahmed, a social activist, said--only a few temporary measures--no permanent solutions are being taken up by the civic body, knowing well that during the monsoon, city faces waterlogging and flooding of roads at many locations due to lack of desilting and non- upgradation of storm water drains, which obstruct of smooth flow of rainwater.

Ahmed said, “Several works were sanctioned worth crore, but no work was taken up by officials. The monsoon will arrive in a week, but with their lackadaisical attitude, officials have ignored the work and the seriousness of waterlogging.”