HYDERABAD: An unexpectedly heavy spell of rain lashed Hyderabad on Friday, throwing large parts of the city into disarray. The three-hour-long downpour was enough to flood roads, enter homes, paralyse traffic, and once again expose the city’s vulnerability to extreme weather.
Within 30 minutes, low-lying areas were inundated and arterial roads turned into streams, crippling both pedestrian and vehicular movement. In places like Vijayapuri Colony in the Mettuguda Division, Sindhi Colony, and near Prakash Nagar, water gushed into narrow lanes and flooded homes. Boats had to be deployed to rescue residents.
An activist posted on X: “We last saw boats being deployed in 2020 during floods. It is shocking to see the state of city infrastructure—boats needed after just three hours of rain.”
Other colonies such as VV Nagar, Nagole, Moosarambagh, Tolichowki, West Marredpally, and Uppal were also marooned. Overflowing nalas and water bodies only worsened the situation.
In commercial hubs like Madhapur, Kondapur, and Gachibowli, waterlogging was severe. Commuters travelling from the Financial District to Begumpet were stranded as major roads became immobile parking lots.
Traffic crawled along the Outer Ring Road, Inner Ring Road, and major corridors like Jubilee Hills checkpost, KBR Park stretch, Peddamma Temple Road, Apollo Hospital Road, and Ameerpet-Begumpet.
One commuter tweeted: “It took me nearly three hours to travel from Jubilee Hills to Begumpet, a distance that usually takes 30 minutes.”
Though Hyderabad Traffic police attempted to ease congestion with diversions and advisories, widespread flooding left few viable alternatives. App-based cab services like Uber and Ola faced disruptions, with drivers unable to navigate the submerged roads. Wait times stretched to over an hour, only for rides to get cancelled. Many were shocked by surge pricing, which doubled or tripled normal fares.
“A 3-km ride that usually costs 150 ended up costing me 350 after the rains,” a motorist tweeted. MMTS and metro feeder services were also overwhelmed. Waterlogged footpaths made it unsafe for the elderly and children to walk.
Street vendors and informal workers bore the brunt. Near the Madhapur flyover, hawkers stood waist-deep in water, helplessly holding onto their carts as goods floated away.
Even after the rains subsided post 7 pm, waterlogging and traffic congestion continued to torment commuters well into the night.