Warangal: 'Future City' ready for awash

Warangal: Not for long ago, the people in the Greater Warangalhad a nightmarish experience. The mid-August cloudburst last year that sent denizens into a tizzy has set the alarm bells ringing for the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) administration.

Then there was a lot of buzz with the authorities jumping into action following the whirlwind inspection of MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao, who assessed that structures that have come up occupying stormwater drains led to flooding in the city. Then there was a demolition drive of all illegal structures along the four major 'nalahs' in Warangal, which of late was termed as a 'future city' by the leaders.

Nine months down the line, the first shower that lashed the tri-cities of Warangal-Hanamkonda-Kazipet on June 2 gave a hint of what was in store for the denizens in this rainy season. Thereafter, the Wednesday's rain that left many colonies under the sheet of water has once again exposed the lacunae between the promise and the practicality in dealing with the flooding in the city.

Based on past experiences, the urban local body (ULB) would have sensed the imminent danger if rains lash the city one more time. The MA&UD Minister KTR told the authorities to remove all the encroachments on nalahs and widen the drains. The action plan also included the construction of retaining walls along the nalahs so that no one would encroach upon them again. But after removing some of the encroachments on nalahs, the work was put on hold last year. Since then, there was no effort even to remove the silt from the storm-water drains.

The premise to escape the truth was elections to the ULB and escalation in coronavirus cases. "The GWMC would have started its preparations at least four months before the onset of southwest monsoon. But it wasn't to be. Now, the ULB wants to de-silt the 'nalahs' and stormwater drains on a war-footing measure. The promise to improve the stormwater drains and construct a retaining wall remained a non-starter," Pulluru Sudhakar, the president, Forum for Better Warangal, told The Hans India.

Gundu Sudharani, who recently assumed the office of Mayor, said, "I told the engineering officials to prepare an action plan to protect the low-lying areas from marooning. A four-day drive will be taken up to remove the clogs in nalahs. Three Hitachi and 10 JCB vehicles will be pressed into service to de-silt the drains."