Flyovers In This Indian City Get Flooded After Heavy Rain [Video]
The monsoon is intensifying in many parts of India. Torrential rains have led to floods, waterlogging and associated chaos in many cities. One such city is Hyderabad, many parts of which are now waterlogged. Roads, streets and even flyovers are flooded after it rained heavily for two consecutive days.
The Kothaguda flyover near the Botanical Garden was hit heavily by the flood along with several other bridges and underpasses. Water accumulated on it to waist-deep levels, creating panic among people and motorists. Many vehicles got stuck on the bridge. People were seen walking through the knee-deep water columns, having abandoned their vehicles on the bridge. The area also reported long bumper-to-bumper queues that went on for hours.
The Ikea junction had a massive traffic jam, like many other areas. The Praja Bhavan flyover and the steel bridge at the RTC crossroads also witnessed heavy waterlogging. Officials have asked motorists to avoid PVNR expressway and Masab Tank Road as well.
Waterlogging reportedly damaged several vehicles which were out on the road or parked on the streets. These include cars, bikes and autorickshaws. Areas like Gachibowli, Secunderabad, Malakpet, Chatrinaka, Musheerabad, Sitaphalmandi and Kukatpally have been affected. Interestingly, water started accumulating on many roads soon after it started raining on Friday.
Begumpet’s Patny Colony has had excessive flooding due to the poor drainage system here. HYDRA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency) has already started rescue and rehabilitation operations.
Flooded Flyover Sparks Civic Debate Among Netizens
Videos of flooded flyovers and the sheer havoc that the rains have caused are now doing rounds on the internet. These show the gravity of the situation and the same sparked active discussions among netizens. Hyderabad is a major IT hub in India, and so is Bengaluru. The two Indian cities already have an online rivalry with each other, and the new development adds a bizarre layer to it!
Social media users have now started to compare Bengaluru and Hyderabad based on the extent of flooding caused. Bengaluru is already infamous for what rains do to it. The city gets flooded easily, and rainfall often brings traffic and civic life to a standstill.
After videos of Hyderabad floods were shared online, netizens from Bengaluru started questioning why it is always their city that gets the blame for having poor infrastructure with every flood. Many natives argued that they are being disproportionately targeted. Cities like Hyderabad, they say, escape such scrutiny.
Many of them have come up with sarcastic remarks and comments. “Bengaluru is terrible, let’s go to Hyderabad,”- said a Bengaluru-based doctor. Another comment reads: “Waterlogged on top of a flyover in Hyderabad. A few weeks ago, people were saying Hyderabad is better than Bengaluru. Can’t find them now — guess they were washed away in the drains.”
“Just a couple of hours of rain in Hyderabad and even the flyovers are underwater. If this had happened in Bangalore, it would’ve made headlines all the way to Sudan and Somalia. Bad luck Hyderabad, you got the floods, but not the fame.”- remarked another user.
The Larger Picture
The sad truth here is that flood hazards aren't limited to just Bengaluru or Hyderabad. Other major cities like Chennai, Pune, Mumbai and Gurgaon also develop floods even with a few hours of continuous rain. Poor urban planning and underdeveloped drainage infrastructure are two key reasons for this. Like they say, it is time that we hold the corporates, MLAs, and urban planners accountable for this plight. Proper research should be done and SOPs should be followed while building, modifying or expanding infrastructure.