Hyderabad sees waterlogging, traffic snarls amid heavy rain

Hyderabad has seen widespread waterlogging and traffic snarls amid heavy rain, with the IMD forecasting further rainfall on Wednesday.

Jayashankar district logged Telangana’s highest rainfall on Tuesday at 196 mm, while Musheerabad recorded Hyderabad’s highest total at 54.5 mm, with Shaikpet, Tirumalagiri, Golkonda and Khairatabad also seeing significant rain.

Several areas reported waterlogging, including Madhapur, Gachibowli, Miyapur, Krishna Nagar, the Hyderabad Central University campus, and railway bridges at Raniganj and Secunderabad.

The IMD has forecast heavy rain along with thunderstorms, lightning and squalls for Wednesday, issuing a yellow alert across all districts and a specific yellow alert for Cyberabad.

HYDRAA’s Disaster Response Force teams were deployed to clear waterlogged stretches and remove fallen tree branches in affected parts of the city.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Joel Davis inspected major waterlogging points, including Lakdikapul, Ayodhya Junction and PTI Masab Tank, reviewing drainage and traffic regulation measures.

Traffic police urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel during peak hours, drive cautiously, steer clear of waterlogged roads and factor in extra travel time.

Commuters were further advised to follow instructions from traffic personnel and monitor official advisories as rain continued to affect the city.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has also shared an emergency helpline number, 9000113667, for residents to report waterlogging and other rain-related issues.

Authorities have also cautioned residents in low-lying and flood-prone localities to stay alert and shift to safer ground if water levels rise rapidly.

HYDRAA, set up by the Telangana government in July 2024, covers the GHMC area as well as Rangareddy, Medchal Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts up to the Outer Ring Road, and operates through dedicated wings for disaster management, asset protection and logistics support.

HYDRAA, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection agency, was set up to respond quickly to civic emergencies including flooding, encroachments and infrastructure hazards across the city.

(Image: Photo by Mohammed Mubashir, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)