HYDERABAD: Smooth roads and proper drainage lines seem like a distant dream for the residents of Yousufguda, a bustling neighbourhood in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency.
As election fever grips the segment ahead of the November 11 bypoll, the lanes of Yousufguda are buzzing with high-decibel campaign rallies and loud promises. But beneath the fluttering flags and blaring loudspeakers lies a deep sense of frustration. For the 58,599 voters here, this byelection is not just another political contest — it is a plea for basic civic dignity.
While the name “Jubilee Hills” evokes images of luxury homes, posh villas and manicured lanes, Yousufguda tells a completely different story. The contrast could not be starker. Broken roads, overflowing drains, erratic water supply and open manholes have become a part of daily life for thousands of residents.
The people here say their localities have seen little change in the past decade, and election promises have always stopped at words.
“The roads are pathetic, and the drinking water is contaminated. Power cuts are frequent, and every civic necessity is a problem here,” says Taj Begum, a long-time resident.
“Every lane you go to, you’ll see sewage overflow and broken roads. People are scared to send their children out to play, fearing they might fall into potholes. We plead with the government and whichever party is in power to first build proper drainage pipelines and roads. In the last 12 years, nothing has changed,” she adds.
Her frustration deepens when she speaks of the health crisis caused by unsafe drinking water. “My child fell sick after drinking the water supplied here, and we had to spend Rs 40,000 on hospital expenses. Will any of these parties reimburse our medical expenses? They come to us before elections, make promises, and then never return,” she laments.
Where residents are scared to step out of their homes
In one narrow lane, four manholes lie open, and the street is filled with sludge and drainage water. Residents say they fear even stepping outside their homes. “What bigger problem can there be than being scared to walk in front of your own house?” asks a local woman, echoing the sentiment of hundreds of others.
The cry is the same across the area: “Don’t ask for votes until the people get clean water, safe roads, and a functioning drainage system.”
On Thursday, ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar campaigned here in support of Congress candidate Naveen Yadav.
He is pitted against BRS’s Maganti Sunitha, wife of late MLA Maganti Gopinath whose untimely death necessitated this bypoll, and the BJP’s Lankala Deepak Reddy. The contest is now being seen as a battle for prestige for all three major parties.
Speaking to TNIE, Ponnam Prabhakar accused the BRS of neglecting the constituency for over a decade.
“For 10 years, the BRS completely ignored this area. The name says Jubilee Hills, but the majority of people living here are poor. Development was restricted to elite neighbourhoods, while the rest were left to suffer,” he said.
“We [the Congress government] have already launched several programmes in the last three months for the benefit of residents here and will continue to do so in future as well. Our government is committed to ensuring clean water to every household, good roads and proper sanitation,” the minister added.
The Jubilee Hills bypoll will test the political pulse of Hyderabad’s heartland. For Yousufguda’s 58,599 voters, however, this election is not about political symbols or party slogans — it’s about survival and dignity.
As campaign vehicles roll through waterlogged lanes and candidates promise change from atop their stages, residents have just one message: “First fix our roads and drains. Then come and ask for votes.”
