HYDERABAD: By late Monday afternoon, Hyderabad had turned into a city of stranded commuters and impassable roads.
A heavy, unrelenting spell of rain brought traffic to a standstill, upended daily routines, and left neighbourhoods waterlogged as residents waded through another episode of the city’s chronic vulnerability to even a few hours of downpour.
Raj Bhavan Road was among the first to go under. The massive rainwater holding structure constructed on the road overflowed, turning the stretch into a shallow canal. “We had to start diverting vehicles from Khairatabad circle,” said a traffic constable posted at the site. “It just wasn’t safe.”
In Ameerpet, the usually congested Maitrivanam junction took on the appearance of a lake. Rajesh, a resident returning from Sanathnagar, found himself stuck mid-route. “My bike stopped moving. The silencer was under water,” he said, soaked and stranded.
Two-hour crawls and soaring fares
Across the city, office-goers and students found their regular commutes doubled or worse. “It usually takes me 45 minutes from Madhapur to Uppal. Today it was two hours,” said Meenakshi, an IT professional and frustrated commuter. “Half the time I was just stuck at a signal watching rain fly sideways,” she said.
Traffic was jammed on the stretch between the Cable Bridge and IKEA, while app-based ride fares surged sharply. “A ride from Mehdipatnam to Somajiguda was showing `480, triple the usual rate,” said Nikhil, a student. “I waited under a Metro pillar instead.”
In the wee hours of Monday, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Jangaon, Warangal, Mahbubabad and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts witnessed heavy rains, with some places receiving over 100 mm and others reporting drizzles.
Rainfall in city
(8.30 am – 1 am)
Quthbullapur: 151.5 mm
Banjara Hills: 124.5 mm
Yousufguda: 117 mm
Srinagar Colony: 106 mm
at the helm
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy orders district collectors to be on high alert
Instructs departments to work in tandem and prevent loss of life or property
Officials told be to be available 24x7 in districts
Residents battle waterlogged roads
At Jalagam Vengal Rao Park, a fallen tree blocked the road, further delaying traffic. Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams and Panjagutta Traffic Police cleared the area, but most major junctions had already been reduced to long lines of honking vehicles.
Water everywhere, no way forward
Reports of severe waterlogging flowed in from Hydernagar, Shaikpet, Puranapul, Bandlaguda, Mughal Ka Nala, Mehdipatnam, Kukatpally, Rajendranagar and Miyapur. In several locations, manhole covers had either been displaced or submerged, increasing the risk to pedestrians and two-wheeler riders navigating through murky stretches.
In Khajaguda, lightning struck dangerously close to the HP petrol station at Lanco Hills. “There was a blinding flash followed by a thunderclap so loud, we thought something exploded,” said Sarita, a resident who rushed indoors with her family.
Hyderabad reacts with grit, and humour
Social media, as always, offered a mirror to the chaos.
“If it rains for another hour, Hyderabad might need boats instead of bikes,” posted MSK on X. Another user warned, “Ameerpet-Panjagutta stretch completely flooded. Avoid if you can. Stay safe, #Hyderabad.”
Yellow alert for Tuesday
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for all districts on Tuesday, warning of waterlogging, traffic delays, localised flooding, and possible crop damage.
Residents have been advised to avoid low-lying areas and remain indoors during heavy spells.
Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi urged citizens to contact the GHMC-DRF control room at 040-21111111 or 9000113667 for assistance. “Teams from GHMC, DRF, and traffic police are deployed across the city. We’re working to restore normalcy,” she said on X.
