Hyderabad’s Prime Zones Face Challenges from Encroached Lakes

Rapid Summary:

• Heavy rains on Monday evening caused severe flooding in Hyderabad, with central parts of the city receiving up to 12.4 cm within two hours.
• Waterlogging affected areas such as Punjagutta and Ameerpet, reclaiming natural drainage routes disrupted by urbanisation.
• Srinivas Naidu, an autorickshaw driver stuck in traffic due to floods, noted critically important delays in his regular route from Jubilee Hills to Khairatabad.
• Historically, Hyderabad had lakes and water bodies that have been replaced by urban infrastructure over decades. Notable examples include maitrivanam’s former irrigation fields and interconnected lakes at Ameerpet now buried under landmarks like Aditya Trade Center and Swarna Jayanti Complex housing HMDA offices.
• Observations from residents highlight how temples mark locations of former lakes; for instance,Katta Maisamma temples indicate flood-prone areas where water bodies once existed.
• at Jalagam Vengal Rao Park (JVR Park), lake sediment mounds remain exposed despite heavy rain failing to fill the lake entirely. Floods also impacted Yousufguda due to diminished lake capacity following conversions into parks or other facilities.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

Hyderabad’s flooding underscores critical urban planning challenges aggravated by decades of encroachment on natural drainage systems.As ancient water bodies were replaced with concrete structures without sustainable drainage alternatives, incidents like Monday’s inundation reflect nature reclaiming its original pathways during extreme rainfall events. The commentary regarding Katta Maisamma temples poignantly illustrates how traditional markers now point towards environmental vulnerabilities rather than spiritual sanctuaries.While rapid advancement serves economic goals, this case study highlights a need for integrating resilient designs into urban frameworks-emphasizing preservation or revival of ecological functions wherever feasible.The fact that even town planning offices are built atop buried lakes emphasizes the irony tied deeply with Hyderabad’s modern evolution as one of India’s major metropolitan hubs.

Read More: The Hindu

Images included:
1) Flooded road in Ameerpet following heavy rain
2) Water tanker plunged after concrete covering over a drainage channel gave way at Banjara Hills