The Hyderabad water crisis could deepen in vulnerable Old City neighbourhoods if drought conditions persist, Congress leader Mohammed Waliullah Sameer said while welcoming Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s measures to prepare for an El Niño-linked dry spell.
Sameer, Congress in-charge of the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, said the state government’s decision to prioritise drinking water, monitor reservoir levels and plan for prolonged dry conditions showed that the administration was treating the situation as a preparedness challenge. He also welcomed the reported convening of an all-party meeting on the issue.
According to figures cited by Sameer, Telangana has declared 365 mandals drought-affected, including 111 classified as severely affected and 254 as moderately affected. He also said live storage in major and medium reservoirs had fallen to about 180 TMC against a combined capacity of 585 TMC.
Sameer said strong El Niño conditions could continue into early 2027, potentially placing additional pressure on drinking-water supplies, agriculture and electricity demand. He referred to the chief minister’s warning about possible challenges continuing until July 2027, saying the advance notice created an opportunity for authorities to strengthen contingency arrangements.
The Congress leader identified the Old City as a priority area because of its dense neighbourhoods and dependence on government water supplies. He specifically named Charminar, Yakutpura, Chandrayangutta, Bahadurpura, Malakpet and Saidabad, where he said many households lacked adequate water-storage facilities and could face difficulties during supply disruptions.
Sameer also highlighted the operational challenge of reaching narrow Old City lanes with conventional water tankers. He suggested using smaller tankers, establishing neighbourhood-level distribution points and issuing advance supply schedules so residents can plan for interruptions. The proposals were presented as measures to improve last-mile delivery rather than as a replacement for the existing water network.
He appreciated the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s efforts to augment supplies from alternative sources as reservoir storage and groundwater levels declined. The statement did not specify the additional volumes expected from those sources or announce a new municipal distribution timetable. Further preparedness measures and supply arrangements will depend on decisions by the state government and HMWSSB as drought conditions are monitored.
