Hyderabad: Al Jubail Colony still reels under flood impact

One year after the havoc, many buildings still vacant as people moved to other places

Hyderabad: It’s almost a year since the fearsome floods of October 2020 created havoc in Al Jubail colony in Chandrayangutta. Another monsoon is here but the residents of the colony are yet to recover from the impact of last year.

The colony had remained flooded at least for a week then, with the trail of destruction that the flood left behind being quite widespread.

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Dotted with several multi-storied buildings, the colony was much sought for its proximity to the main road. But that has changed now.

“Since the floods last year, we are not getting tenants easily. There was a lot of destruction around and people lost everything. Those staying on the ground floor were the most affected,” recalls Aslam Khan, a local resident, who says several families vacated their homes and left for safer places after the floods.

“People felt it was a big risk to stay in the area, so they moved out. Now many buildings are vacant, especially the ground floors,” says Mohd Rahael, who runs a house rental agency at Chandrayangutta.

Mohd Ishaq, a retired school teacher, who owns a house in Al Jubail, said for several families the rent was the only source of livelihood.

“People constructed houses in hope of getting some income by renting out the premises. The rents in the colony hover anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 for a 2BHK. If we slash rents also, no one is willing to come for the ground floor. It is a big blow for middle class families who are depended on rents for a livelihood,” adds Ishaq.

However, according to the local corporator Motilal Naik, the people need not fear now.

“Widening of the nala was taken up after the floods last year on a war footing and the works are still continuing. I don’t think the scene will repeat,” he says.

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