GHMC intensifies efforts to tackle urban flooding

Constitutes committee comprising senior officials, engineers; takes up desilting of stormwater drains

Hyderabad: Intensifying its efforts to address the issues of urban flooding in the city, a committee comprising senior officials and engineers has been formed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Desilting of stormwater drains being one of the activities prioritised by the authorities, the committee met this week and decided to study the best practices adopted by other municipal corporations and visit other cities too if required.

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Director of GHMC’s Enforcement Vigilance and Disaster Management, Vishwajit Kampati, Chief Engineer (maintenance wing), Devanand and Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Ltd (HRDCL) Chief Engineer Mohd Ziauddin are members of the committee. The GHMC Zonal Commissioner for Serilingampally Ravi Kiran is also part of the committee.

“We are exploring possibilities and speaking to various stakeholders to rope in advanced equipment. Using technology we want to pace up the desilting process and make sure the stormwater drains are completely desilted by the end of summer every year,” said one of the members. The committee is also planning to procure customised vehicles which can transport silt.

“Currently, there are no vehicles available with us that can transport silt. We will meet vehicle manufacturers to customise the vehicle design to suit our needs and send a proposal to the government for procuring them,” said another member of the committee.

One of the major issues faced by the GHMC officials for years is transportation of silt once it is removed from the drains. After desilting the drain, the silt is kept along the stormwater drain for a day or two and transported only after it dries up.

“There have been instances when the silt removed went back into the drains during a downpour wasting all the efforts. The civic body now wants to address this issue using technology,” said a GHMC official.

Meanwhile, before new desilting methods are taken up and advanced machinery is procured, authorities have strengthened the grievance redressal system so that people could report desilting issues. Exclusive numbers have also been rolled out so that citizens could reach the officials of their respective localities.

Issues pertaining to desilting can be reported by dialing 040-241111111– GHMC’s land line number or by sending the details through WhatsApp on eight mobile numbers.

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