HYDERABAD: The Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS), one of the major bus stations in Hyderabad, was inundated on Saturday after the Musi River swelled beyond control, leaving scores of passengers stranded and disrupting services. The flooding was triggered by heavy inflows into the city’s twin reservoirs — Osmansagar and Himayatsagar — following several days of incessant rain.
Authorities, faced with rising reservoir levels, opened 24 gates on Friday evening to discharge water downstream. The release, which peaked at 35,000 cusecs, resulted in a sudden surge in Musi levels. Officials noted that the river has not witnessed such high flows in recent memory.
Floodwater entered the terminal, submerging large sections of the premises and forcing passengers to evacuate. DRF and SDRF personnel intensified rescue operations.
A passenger, Dinesh Babu from Shaikpet, who had a bus to Warangal from MGBS, told TNIE: “As soon as we reached MGBS, we were asked to go to Uppal X Roads, as the MGBS station was completely inundated. Though we missed our bus, there’s nothing to complain about as officials were ensuring our safety.”
Apart from the bus station, low-lying areas bore the brunt of the discharge. Colonies in Bandlaguda Jagir were inundated, prompting municipal teams and the DRF to undertake relief efforts. Secunderabad’s Patny nala and Nallagutta localities also reported severe flooding.
Muskaan Ahmed, a resident of Bandlaguda, told TNIE: “All my household essentials were floating in water. Why wasn’t any warning issued? Now who will compensate for all this?”
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has temporarily suspended all operations from MGBS, rerouting services to alternative boarding points across the city.
According to the advisory, services to Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak and Nizamabad are now operating from Jubilee Bus Station (JBS). Services to Warangal and Hanamkonda are being dispatched from Uppal Crossroads. Buses to Suryapet, Nalgonda and Vijayawada are operating from LB Nagar.
Services to Mahbubnagar, Kurnool, and Bengaluru are departing from Aramghar.
All these clusters saw huge traffic snarls as this came just ahead of Dasara.
Meanwhile, a stretch between Koti and Dilsukhnagar has been temporarily cut off due to heavy inundation and traffic was diverted to the Inner Ring Road.
Depression weakens over Hyderabad, rains persist
Hyderabad: The depression over Hyderabad appeared to have weakened on Saturday, but several districts in the state continued to experience heavy rainfall. IMD said the highest rainfall was recorded at Papannapet in Medak with 10.5 cm, followed by Manoor in Sangareddy (9.25 cm) and Nallabelly in Warangal (9.15 cm).
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Sunday, forecasting heavy rains in five districts — Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Vikarabad, and Sangareddy. In the 24-hour rainfall record, Monimpet (Vikarabad) topped the charts with 15.13 cm, while Moinabad (Rangareddy) received 11.85 cm and Shabad (Rangareddy) 11.83 cm. The state average rainfall stood at 26.9 mm against the normal 3.5 mm.
The highest maximum temperature was 34.8°C at Chinnakondur in Nizamabad district. While the GHMC average rainfall was 18.4 mm against a normal of 5.2 mm. The highest maximum temperature under GHMC limits was 28.7°C, reported at the GHMC Zonal Office in Uppal (Medchal-Malkajgiri). Telangana’s cumulative rainfall from June 1 to September 27 stood at 977.5 mm, 34% above the normal of 726.9 mm. Within Hyderabad, the GHMC area recorded 892 mm during the same period, 46% above the normal 610.5 mm
Revanth reviews flood relief efforts
Hyderabad : Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday took stock of the Musi flood situation and directed officials to take precautionary measures in all low-lying areas and evacuate residents to safer locations. He said rehabilitation measures would be provided to the evacuated families in relief camps.
Revanth reviewed the relief efforts to evacuate passengers stranded at MGBS, which was inundated at midnight. He remained in constant touch with officials and instructed them to ensure the safe evacuation of passengers. Officials were also directed to divert buses bound for MGBS to alternative routes.
Considering the Dasara and Bathukamma festivities, Revanth asked TGSRTC to make necessary arrangements to help passengers reach their destinations from MGBS. Following the IMD forecast that Hyderabad will receive heavy rains on Saturday, he ordered the police, traffic, HYDRAA, GHMC, and electricity departments to remain on high alert