An intense overnight downpour inundated key suburbs of Hyderabad in the early hours of Thursday, paralysing mobility and overwhelming civic infrastructure. With rainfall breaching 100 mm in several areas, the western corridors of the city bore the brunt of the season’s most disruptive monsoon spell so far.
According to data from the Telangana Development Planning Society, the highest rainfall was recorded at the University of Hyderabad with 148.5 mm, followed by MMTS Lingampally at 114 mm and Chandanagar at 109.8 mm. While the western belt was drenched, much of the city—including Secunderabad, LB Nagar and Golconda—remained largely dry, recording less than 10 mm of rain. The heaviest damage was felt in Serilingampally, Lingampally, and adjoining areas, where civic infrastructure failed to cope with the volume of rainwater, causing large-scale flooding of roads, residential areas, and commercial properties. By dawn, key routes had turned into waterlogged traps, trapping vehicles and leaving commuters stranded during peak hours.
The Lingampally railway underpass became emblematic of the city’s overwhelmed drainage system. Submerged entirely under several feet of water, the underpass was impassable to all traffic, turning into what locals described as a “mini lake.” Meanwhile, Chandanagar witnessed severe flooding of a commercial complex’s basement along the national highway, causing extensive damage to multiple retail outlets. In Nallagandla, the arterial Tellapur-Nallagandla Road was submerged, affecting thousands of residents, particularly those living in gated communities. Residents reported being stranded without access to transport or emergency services. In Kondapur, water rose to knee-level, leaving two-wheelers marooned and vehicular movement at a standstill until water levels began to recede mid-morning.
Civic response teams under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) were quick to dispatch Disaster Response Force (DRF) units across affected areas such as Santosh Nagar, Champapet, and Kondapur. These teams worked through the morning to unclog drains and pump out stagnant water from inundated streets and low-lying colonies. Despite these efforts, residents in many upscale communities reported power outages, delayed transport services, and disrupted deliveries. Officials from the Hyderabad Road Development and Administrative Authority (HYDRAA) also swung into action. Senior engineers and flood management teams visited problem-prone zones including Doyens Colony, the Lingampally underpass, and the Kasoros Apartments area in Kondapur. Preliminary assessments revealed that much of the flooding was caused by backflow from Gopi Cheruvu, triggered by insufficient upstream drainage infrastructure. Corrective measures were immediately launched to lower water levels in both Gopi Cheruvu and Chakali Cheruvu.
In a rare case of rapid urban response, Upparapally saw swift drainage intervention after repeated complaints from residents of Ashok Vihar Colony—a zone historically known for its flood vulnerability. A makeshift internal drain link was excavated and activated within 12 hours to divert water accumulation, offering immediate relief to the community. Residents hailed it as a breakthrough in a locality that has endured over seven years of seasonal flooding. Meanwhile, senior state-level officials convened a high-level emergency preparedness meeting at the Telangana State Integrated Command and Control Centre (TGICCC) in Hyderabad. The discussions centred on real-time coordination between civic bodies, traffic management, and flood response. Officials stressed the need for proactive inter-departmental planning to minimise disruption as the monsoon advances.
Meteorological authorities have issued a yellow alert for Hyderabad, cautioning that light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by gusty winds, is expected to persist until June 14. While the revival of the monsoon has brought much-needed rain after an unusually dry pre-monsoon phase, the city’s inadequate stormwater management and overstretched drainage systems remain major causes for concern. One of the major takeaways from the current deluge is the glaring contrast between rainfall received in different city zones and their readiness to respond. Western Hyderabad, despite being a hub of real estate development, tech parks, and high-end gated communities, continues to struggle with poor drainage planning and overloaded civic infrastructure. Urban planners and environmental engineers have repeatedly warned that the aggressive concretisation of lake catchment areas, disappearance of feeder streams, and unregulated construction activity are key contributors to flooding in these regions.
With monsoon patterns becoming increasingly erratic due to climate change, experts argue that Hyderabad needs to reimagine its stormwater planning strategy. Instead of reactive pumping and road clearance, a long-term approach involving lake restoration, integrated water channels, and the revival of natural drains must be prioritised. Cities like Hyderabad cannot afford to ignore the ecological intelligence embedded in their original geography. For residents, Thursday’s rains were a grim reminder of the gaps that persist between civic promises and on-ground execution. From flooded basements to waterlogged roads, the day unfolded in scenes all too familiar to Hyderabadis during monsoon.
What remains clear is that if Hyderabad is to grow sustainably, it must invest not just in rapid infrastructure development but also in resilient and climate-proof urban planning. With the yellow alert still in place and rainclouds looming, the city stands at a critical inflection point—either to continue patchwork responses or commit to transformative urban resilience planning.
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