Rain fury throws Hyd out of gear

Hyderabad: Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds lashed several parts of Hyderabad on Friday evening, throwing normal life out of gear, inundating low-lying areas and bringing traffic movement to a crawl.

The city, which witnessed relatively normal weather until the afternoon, was covered by thick clouds around 5 pm. Heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning began lashing several areas under the influence of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal/Cyclone Arnab. The downpour, which came after several days, brought much-needed relief but also caused waterlogging, power disruptions and traffic congestion.

The sudden downpour coincided with peak evening hours, leaving office employees, students and other commuters struggling to reach home. Miyapur, Chandanagar, Lingampally, Gachibowli, Madhapur, Kondapur and Raidurgam witnessed heavy rainfall.

Water accumulation brought traffic in major IT corridors, particularly Madhapur, Gachibowli and Raidurgam, to a near standstill. Two-wheeler riders faced particular difficulties navigating waterlogged roads. Severe congestion was also reported on the Chaderghat, Malakpet, Dilsukhnagar, LB Nagar-Uppal and Bandlaguda-Nagole routes.

The situation was particularly difficult around Mindspace and IKEA on the Madhapur-Hitec City-KPHB stretch, where rainwater accumulation disrupted the movement of office-goers and other commuters.

Heavy rainfall was also reported in Masab Tank, Mehdipatnam, Khairtabad, Uppal, Ghatkesar, Keesara, Nagaram, Boduppal, Hayathnagar, Vanasthalipuram, Nagole, Saidabad, Secunderabad, Begumpet, Alwal, Jubilee Hills, Charminar, Attapur, Narsingi, Kokapet and Rajendranagar.

Srikrishna Nagar Colony in Yousufguda was inundated, with several roads turning into streams. Vehicles parked outside houses were reportedly swept away by floodwater. Bowenpally, Tirumalgherry, Alwal and Begumpet also experienced severe waterlogging. Several low-lying areas were flooded, while power supply was disrupted in multiple localities.

According to the Telangana Development Planning Society, Bahadurpura recorded the highest rainfall at 8 cm, followed by Serilingampally (7.1 cm) and Golconda (6.4 cm). Madhapur received 5.7 cm, Shaikpet 5.5 cm, Nampally 5 cm, Jubilee Hills 4.4 cm and Attapur 4.3 cm.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Traffic Police issued alerts advising commuters to avoid waterlogged stretches. Traffic moved slowly near Pillar No. 196 on the PVNR Expressway towards Aramghar. Commuters were also advised to avoid the KBR One-Way route in Banjara Hills via Agrasen Island, Taj Mahal U-turn, BVB and Journalist Colony. Traffic was affected near Akshaya Hotel in Malakpet towards Nalgonda X Roads, Praja Bhavan Road and Puranapul Graveyard in the Old City.

HYDRAA teams were deployed with motor pumps to clear accumulated rainwater. Commuters were advised to plan their journeys and follow traffic police instructions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MM Farooqui

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M M Farooqui, senior correspondent with interest in writing a range of stories about Hyderabad and its Purana Sheher. An experienced journalist specializing in departments including Heritage, Transport, Municipal Corporation, Majlis among others with over six years of writing expertise. When not immersed in writing, he can be found spending time in eating Hyderabadi cuisines, Mughlai, Chinese, exploring new things and listening to songs and qawwalis. Farooqui is an accomplished writer with a passion for writing with six years of experience, he has honed his craft in various genres. Farooqui’s diverse family history and embracing cultures have enriched his writing with unique perspectives.

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