Monsoon round the corner, but roads unrepaired

With the Indian Meteorological Department predicting an early monsoon, Hyderabadis will have to brace for more bumpy rides as roads dug up for various reasons have not been restored but just filled with mud. Residents of the 12 peripheral circles will be particularly affected.

Roads have been dug up by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) for a total length of 2,500 km to strengthen the water supply distribution network. The temporary filling of roads could cause flooding, and the hastily laid surface often cracks up or caves in. The peripheral circles of the GHMC which are most vulnerable include Serilingampally, Kukatpally, Uppal and Patancheru.

“We have dug up 2,500 km of roads for strengthening the water supply distribution network in peripheral circles of the GHMC and restored 2,100 km under package I. Under package II we have have dug up 350 km of road and restored 300 km,” a Water Board official claimed. The Water Board claims it has restored all roads where it has laid pipelines of less than 300 mm in diameter, and it is the responsibility of the GHMC to restore roads where larger pipelines were laid.

The GHMC claims it has not restored roads in Quthbullapur and LB Nagar circles as the Water Board will dig up the roads very soon in order to give household connections for which the registration process began last month.

A senior GHMC official said, “During the last rainy season, they stopped digging due to a ban. Soon after it ended, it dug more than 350 km but failed to restore roads in areas like Vanasthalipuram and Hafeezpet.” He said that the Water Board was passing the buck on to the GHMC and the civic body has been facing the public’s ire.

Asked about GHMC giving permission for road cutting, he said, “We have compelling reasons to give road cutting permission to departments like HMWS&SB, Southern Power Distribution Company and private telecom agencies for laying underground cable lines, etc.”

An official from the Water Board said the digging might increase as the public representatives who participated in the Mana Nagaram programme on Friday requested the pipeline be extended for about 50 km to facilitate residents in LB Nagar and Quthbullapur circles.

OF THE CITY’S 9,100 km road network, almost a quarter has been dug up.