Being victims of flooding has become a habit of sorts for the residents of Padma Colony in Nallakunta, where the surplus nala of the Hussainsagar wreaks a havoc and makes lives miserable every time it rains heavily. This time round, the victimhood is taken to the next level, thanks to the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) works dragging on for a year.
It was an early morning nightmare for the inhabitants of this street when the drain passing through the locality overflowed and entered their houses. The volume of water was so huge that all two-wheelers parked outside were washed away up to Musi river and cars were drowned.
“I have lost three vehicles worth ₹3 lakh. There is no trace of my brand new Suzuki Burgman, while my wife’s Honda Activa has been recovered in such a rickety state that it could be sold only as scrap. Same is the status of my car, a Chevrolet Spark. Who will reimburse me?” questioned Gaddam Vasanth Yadav, a software engineer living in the locality.
Krishna Yadav, another resident, lost his two-wheeler, while his car with massive damage had to be towed to the service centre.
Electric poles collapse
To add to the miseries, the locality has been devoid of water and power for the entire day following rain. High tension electric poles collapsed under the impact of heavy flows affecting supply to the colony.
“Sewage mixed flood water entered our house and ruined our storage sump. I had to get it cleaned on a war-footing,” Mr. Vasanth Yadav said.
All the locals here pointed fingers at the GHMC’s ‘lackadaisical attitude’ in carrying out nala works.
Ongoing SNDP works
“The SNDP works have been going on for the last one year. The contractor halts the works on and off, and GHMC does not take any action. The officials hardly ever visit. The whole street was dug up for the nala, and closed on one side using cement bags. With the escape route closed, the nala overflowed and inundated the streets,” said Mr. Krishna Yadav.
Besides, the retaining wall was not strong enough to stop the water, the locals said, even while the SNDP works on the Hussainsagar surplus drain are all about strengthening the retaining walls.
“They have to break the retaining wall every year while carrying out the de-silting works. So, they never built a permanent one with concrete. It is only a temporary wall, which easily gave in under water pressure,” says Ritesh Kumar, a civil engineer living in the locality, whose car got damaged in the flood.
GHMC officials blame residents
GHMC officials, however, blame the non-cooperative attitude of the residents for the delay in carrying out the works. Property acquisition has been pending for a while on the Tilak Nagar side due to stiff resistance by locals, none of who, officials say, are legal occupants.
About 250 structures need to be acquired on the 500-metre stretch where the nala needs to be freed from encroachments, they say.
