Rains turn colonies roads in to muddy, sewage-filled traps

In the heart of Nirmal district, just a stone’s throw from the Collector’s office, lies Mahalakshmiwada—a colony symbolic of the neglect faced by 30 suburban settlements across three municipalities.

Despite being home to over 1,500 plots allotted to economically weaker sections, the area remains trapped in infrastructural limbo. No proper roads, no drainage, just potholes.

Across Nirmal (18 colonies), Bhainsa (8), and Khanapur (5), residents endure daily hardships. Cement roads have crumbled into gravel, and in many places, roads don’t exist at all. Stagnant sewage and unhygienic conditions have become the norm. “We pay taxes every year, but no one listens,” lament locals, who feel abandoned by the very system meant to serve them.

The woes of the residents get compounded into monsoon misery, with the onset of rains, the situation worsens. Even a drizzle transforms pathways into muddy stretches. Rainwater and sewage pool outside homes, making walking a challenge and living a hazard. Despite repeated appeals to officials and elected representatives, no action has been taken. The fear of another monsoon season looms large over these neglected colonies. “Streets turn into canals with swirling water, making it a nightmare,” said a resident of the Mahalakshmiwada. However, a ray of hope appeared on the horizon as recently, the state government released municipal development funds—Rs 18.75 crore to Nirmal, and Rs 15 crore each to Bhainsa and Khanapur.

Nirmal MLA Maheshwar Reddy is credited with securing additional allocations. Residents of Mahalakshmiwada now demand that a significant portion of these funds be directed toward their long-overdue road and drainage needs.

Residents of Mahalakshmiwada expressing their longstanding grievances are now calling for accountability. Because the proximity of Mahalakshmiwada to the district administration’s nerve center makes its neglect all the more glaring. Citizens are calling for urgent intervention, not just token gestures. “We don’t want sympathy—we want roads,” says one resident. As monsoon clouds gather, so does public frustration. The question remains: how long must these residential colonies of inconvenience and neglect remain invisible to those in power?