Hyderabad struggles under heavy rains
For the past week, Hyderabad has been hit by nonstop heavy rains, causing serious problems for residents. The city received more than 150 mm of rainfall in the last five days. Areas like Secunderabad, Kukatpally, LB Nagar, Gachibowli, Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Malakpet, and Uppal have seen heavy flooding. Roads look like lakes, traffic has come to a standstill, and daily life has almost come to a halt.
Streets submerged at the slightest rain: Even a short spell of rain is enough to submerge major roads in Hyderabad, exposing the city’s inadequate drainage system. In many areas, knee-deep water has made commuting a nightmare for motorists and pedestrians alike. Floodwater is getting into vehicle engines and exhaust pipes, making many cars stop and creating hours of traffic. A single day of rain leaves the city struggling for several days afterward.
According to the Meteorological Department, rainfall recorded between Wednesday night and Thursday morning ranged from 100 mm to nearly 185 mm in different parts of the city. Musheerabad topped the list with 184.5 mm, followed by Chilakalguda (147.5 mm), Monda Market (146.8 mm), Sherlingampally (144.8 mm), and Jubilee Hills (108.3 mm), among several other areas.
Subways and flyovers fail to deliver:
Despite the construction of numerous flyovers and subways in recent years, Hyderabad continues to clog under heavy rains. Metro services provide some relief, but traffic congestion at junctions leaves commuters stranded for hours. Waterlogging and bumper-to-bumper traffic have turned underpasses and busy intersections into nightmares.
Traffic turns into a living hell:
With nearly 9 million registered vehicles in the city, the rains have made an already critical traffic situation unbearable. Major junctions such as LB Nagar, Malakpet, Nalgonda crossroads, Punjagutta, Ameerpet, Kukatpally, Hitec City, and IKEA Circle are witnessing traffic jams lasting hours. Residents joke that traveling across the city during rains feels harder than driving to Vijayawada.
Even on normal days, congestion has become part of daily life. Traffic signals cannot reduce the chaos, and vehicles move very slowly while air pollution increases because thousands of cars, buses, and bikes stuck in traffic release smoke into the air.
The* *U* *-turn mess:
To regulate traffic, police have created multiple U-turns across the city, but these measures have often failed.Drivers have to go much farther just to cross an intersection, and large vehicles have trouble turning, making traffic jams worse. Encroached footpaths push pedestrians onto the roads, adding further strain on traffic flow.
Colonies under water:
Several neighborhoods have been submerged for days. Localities in Musheerabad, Gandhinagar, Ashoknagar, and Himayatnagar report inundated basements, while low-lying areas in Old City, Khairatabad, Ameerpet, and Balkampet remain waterlogged. In Jubilee Hills’ Krishna Nagar, floodwaters reached depths of nearly two meters. Many bikes parked on the roadside were swept away into drains.
Residents blame poor maintenance of stormwater drains, widespread encroachments, and a lack of flood-prevention infrastructure. With rainwater from rooftops flowing unchecked onto streets, residential colonies are turning into streams overnight.
Tragedies claiming lives:
The rains have not just brought disruption - they have also claimed lives. On Wednesday night, a 30-year-old private employee, Mohammad Sharfuddin from Bholakpur, was swept away near Balkampet underpass when his bike stalled in floodwaters. Despite emergency rescue attempts by locals, police, and disaster response teams, he could not be saved. Earlier this week, three others drowned after being washed into storm drains. Residents now fear for their safety every time it rains.
Warnings and possible solutions:
The Meteorological Department has warned of more moderate to heavy showers over the next two days, urging citizens to remain cautious. Experts say Hyderabad needs drastic measures to address its traffic and pollution crisis. Some have suggested implementing an “odd-even” vehicle policy similar to Delhi’s, which could significantly reduce congestion during peak hours.
For now, however, Hyderabadis continue to walk through knee-deep waters, move slowly through endless traffic, and prepare for more rain in the days ahead.