Hyderabad: Revival of lakes, civic issues major irritants

Hyderabad: Neredmet (Ward: 136) teems with well-established colonies, abutting the Cantonment areas; and, most of them came up around two big lakes RK Puram Lake and Yapral Nagireddy lake in the recent decades.

In this division, 56,093 voters would be exercising their franchise at 63 polling stations in the GHMC elections on December 1. As one gauges public mood, it is one of strong despair over perennial problems such piling up of garbage all over the colonies, damaged roads, breakdown sewerage, increasing traffic problems at railway gate and other issues.

The voters are aghast at continued apathy of leaders and officials alike to the deplorable state of lakes, their restoration as well as beatification. Proposals were made and works were grounded, but the pace has been abysmally slow, they criticise. They demand early completion of the project works. In equal measure, the government should attend to the stinking issue of garbage and also shift dumping yards from the colonies. Upgradation of sewerage system and restoration of the roads must also be taken up in right earnest.

Surrounding R K Puram lake, nearly 12 colonies have sprouted. The voters question both the lakes' encroachments. With active support from leaders from ruling party, encroachments by land sharks are continuing, they allege. Encroachments of lakes have turned a major public issue locally and the residents are demanding that authorities check and clear encroachments and ensure that the lakes return to their original size.

Garbage dump yard

A few years back, the GHMC converted Bhaskara Colony park into a dumping yard. Due to the dumping yard, the people in surrounding colonies are facing problems like mosquitoes and health issues. The locals on several occasions represented to the local Corporator and GHMC officials to remove the dumping yard from the colony, but to no avail.

Sewage overflow

The roads in the division colonies are causing many hardships. In Devi Nagar, Bharani colony, Anthaiah Colony, Balaji Nagar, G K colony, Bank colony, Shakthi Nagar, Defense colony, Sapthagiri Colony, residents are facing problems in commuting on the damaged roads. Add to it, the overflowing drainage also inundates the roads often. According to locals, the sewerage water overflow is not only causing health related-issues and big nuisance, but they are also damaging roads. During the recent floods, the colonies were waterlogged, as there was no way for flood water to recede.

The delayed projects like construction of railway over bridge (RoB) has once again turned a major election plank for the political parties to woo the voters. People continue to suffer waiting for several minutes at the railway crossing.