Nizampet emergency call services go phut

Hyderabad: The emergency call services launched by the Nizampet Municipal Corporation to address public grievances during the monsoon season have been unresponsive. Despite repeated attempts by locals to report severe flooding and waterlogging in their colonies, calls to the designated emergency number have gone unanswered, leaving residents frustrated and without assistance.

Locals questioned the effectiveness of launching emergency call services, which were established under the directives of the Principal Secretary of the MA&UD department. Disaster Emergency teams for 2024–2025 were formed within the municipal limits to address waterlogging, power outages, fallen trees, and other rain-related issues. However, residents report that the system is failing. For instance, out of 15 calls made in a single day, only one or two were answered, and even those issues were not resolved promptly. Some locals believe the unresponsiveness is due to a shortage of emergency teams.

“Whenever we try to reach the emergency numbers, they are often unreachable. Even when we do get through and report the issue, the officials do not take action. Introducing a 24/7 service is pointless if it does not function properly. Recently, we faced a similar situation where, despite informing the Commissioner of Nizampet Municipal Corporation about choked drains and uprooted tree branches, nothing was done. It took almost 12 hours just to restore power,” said Umesh, a local of Nizampet.

“Whenever there is a heavy downpour, we face significant hardships. Recently, I tried to reach the emergency numbers 040-29569700/1800597873, but it was extremely difficult to connect with the officials. When I finally managed to report the severe waterlogging issue, they gave an absurd response, saying the problem would resolve itself. If they are not willing to address our concerns, what is the point of having such services,” said Sai Teja, a resident of Nizampet.