‘No road no vote’ say vexed residents of Hafeezbaba Nagar

Hyderabad: Official apathy has once again led to locals of Hafeezbaba Nagar facing severe inconveniences as unfinished draining pipeline works have resulted in frequent sewerage overflowing in the area. The works were supposed to be completed months ago at the ‘A’ block in the area near the Saidq Zaheeruddin area of Hafezebaba Nagar remains incomplete . 

In fact, dug up roads in the area have also become a threat to pedestrians and motorists alike and residents of Hafeezbaba Nagar, who are facing hardships due to the civic issues, have said that any untoward incident can even prove to be fatal for children andthe  elderly who go to mosques for prayers.

“It has become difficult for us to step out of our homes as the entire stretch near Sadiq Zaheeruddin mosque in Baba Nagar area has been dug up several months ago to lay the new drainage the pipeline.  Whenever it rains, these roads become dangerous for the residents even to walk and also for the motorists, as they are not able to use this road,” said a resident Mohammed Shanawaz.

Three months ago, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) authorities and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) had promised to lay a new drainage pipeline of 300 meters in the area but instead, they dug up roads and left those open. It resulted in drainage water continuously flowing from these open Nalas.

Residents, speaking to siasat.com criticized the officials and public representatives for their failure to monitor the pipeline works. The negligence, they said has also led to an increase in mosquito breeding, and causing skin allergies to children.

Another resident said, “If the works are not restarted immediately, the entire resident of Hafeezbaba Nagar will lodge a police complaint against the contractors of the municipal corporation who left things incomplete for several months. We will not be giving any vote if our complaints are not addressed,” he said, and added that ”no road no vote, no proper drainage system, no vote’ will be the slogan during the upcoming GHMC elections.

Civic issues galore in several areas of Hyderabad

A resident of King’s Colony in Shastripuram also wrote to siasat.com that locals are very much disappointed with the drainage system in phase 2 of King’s Colony as well. The sewer pipelines there are badly blocked and have been continuously overflowing for the past four months, he added. 

Other locals have urged concerned civic officials through siasat.com to resolve various issues in the city, especially given that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, “We don’t want to take a chance for our health,” a resident said in a letter to siasat.com.

In another civic issue MLA colony, a resident stated that lots of garbage was shabbily thrown on the road from months. “I was going through the area and saw it in the same condition, or worse than before. In front of that garbage, there is a madrasa where many kids study. Beside it is a hotel, where people are eating nicely,” the resident added.