City witnesses sudden downpour in the evening

Hyderabad’s scattered afternoon showers on Wednesday, September 17 intensified into a heavy downpour by evening, throwing traffic into disarray and leaving several parts of the city inundated. The timing of the rain, coinciding with evening peak hour, worsened the situation for commuters struggling to return home. Rainfall crossed the 10 cm mark at 18 locations in the city, with Musheerabad receiving the highest at 15 cm.

Already congested roads saw gridlocks worsening as rainwater accumulated at major stretches. Severe traffic was reported in Begumpet, Banjara Hills, Nagarjuna Circle, Punjagutta, Raidurgam, IKEA Junction, Gachibowli flyover, Chandanagar, Mindspace towards the cable bridge, Khajaguda junction and Kukatpally towards JNTU.

In several places, parking on already narrow stretches compounded the gridlock. Commuters reported that vehicles had been lined up under metro stations and underpasses, slowing traffic further. At a bus stop near Malkajgiri, bikes were parked across half the road, forcing a city bus to halt as passengers were left with no option but to alight in the middle of the road amidst the rain and traffic.

Commuters also faced difficulties navigating through inundated stretches in Miyapur, Praja Bhavan, Hitech City, Balanagar Metro Station, Jubilee Hills Banjara Hills, Moula Ali, Mallapur, Nacharam, AS Rao Nagar, Neredmet and parts of Secunderabad.

Commuters reported that the stretch from Jubilee Bus Station towards Trimulgherry and Lal Bazar was submerged, with vehicles struggling to move and two-wheelers nearly inundated. Movement was painfully slow, and similar conditions were observed from Old Alwal towards Suchitra. Many motorists identified Vikrampuri as one of the worst-affected areas, where the road was entirely under water, adding to the city’s choke points.

Traffic police personnel from the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates were stationed at major junctions to ease congestion, while Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) were deployed to clear inundated stretches.

According to data from Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS), as of 11 p.m., Musheerabad recorded the highest rainfall of 15 cm followed by 13.2 cm in Begumpet, 13 cm in Mettuguda, 12.6 cm in University of Hyderabad, 12.4 cm in Chilkalguda, 12.3 cm in Miyapur, 11.8 cm in Lingampally, 11.8 cm in Secunderabad Cantonment, 11.4 cm in Khairatabad, 11.1 cm in Gachibowli, 10.8 cm in Begumpet, 10.8 cm in Shaikpet, 10 cm in Maitrivanam, 9.9 cm in Banjara Hills, 9.9 cm in Srinagar Colony, 9.1 cm in Moosapet, 8.4 cm in Balanagar, 8.3 cm in Yousufguda, 8.2 cm in Kapra, 7.7 cm in Filmnagar, 7.3 cm in Golconda and 6.4 cm in Quthbullapur.

Following the heavy rains in Hyderabad, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed officials to remain on high alert and ensure coordinated action across departments. He instructed the police, HYDRAA and the traffic wing to deploy teams in flood-hit areas and manage traffic on major roads. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Energy Department were told to take up immediate relief measures in inundated localities. The Chief Minister also urged residents of low-lying areas to stay cautious and avoid venturing out unless necessary.