Monsoon nears, yet desilting works in Hyderabad chug at a snail’s pace

 Hyderabad: Asthe monsoon approaches, sewage overflow issues persist in many localities, particularly in the southern and central parts of the city. Residents fear that the rain will exacerbate the problem. Despite raising concerns on social media, locals claim that the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has been slow to address the issue. Moreover, desilting efforts in many areas are progressing at a slow pace.

Locals highlighted that many open drains in various localities are filled with trash. Once it rains, entire streets could overflow, and in some areas, there is a continuous sewage overflow. Despite numerous complaints, these issues remain unresolved, causing significant hardship during the monsoon as it takes months to rectify them.

The affected areas include Nampally, Red Hills, Shaikpet, Tolichowki, Mehdipatnam, Film Nagar, Nizampet, Kukatpally, RK Puram, and Malkajgiri.

“We are tired of complaining on the HMWSSB app. We have been dealing with sewage overflow issues for a month. Besides the foul smell, the waterlogging is causing a mosquito menace in the area.

There is no proper sewerage system here. Although we have complained to the concerned authorities and requested that they address the issue seriously, no action has been taken,” said Sai Teja, a local of Nizampet.

“Many colonies in Nampally have turned into cesspools due to sewage overflow. This is a result of HMWSSB's negligence in not laying new drainage lines, causing water stagnation everywhere. The sewer lines are old, and even a moderate amount of rain worsens the situation, with water accumulating on the roads due to the poor sewerage system. We have complained to the concerned officials of the Water Board many times, but our complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” said Mohammed Abid Ali, a resident of Nampally.

“With the monsoon about to arrive, desilting works are progressing slowly in many places.

According to sources, this delay is due to the election code. We are tired of complaining on the HMWSSB app to start cleaning the nala, but no action has been taken,” said R Shekar, a resident of Red Hills.