Residents of Hyderabad’s Old City have expressed relief as they largely remain unaffected by water stagnation issues during heavy rains, a stark contrast to the struggles faced by other parts of the city. This resilience is attributed to the robust and enduring engineering of the Nizam and Mughal eras, which continues to serve the community effectively, reports the Deccan Chronicle.
Key areas such as Falaknuma, Moghalpura, Shalibanda, Charminar, MoghalpuraHussainalam, and Etabar Chowk, situated at higher elevations, have largely avoided the waterlogging problems that plague other neighborhoods. The low-lying areas of Bilalnagar and Doodhbowli, which faced issues during the 2020 floods, have since seen significant improvements with the installation of new stormwater drains by municipal authorities.
Dr. Mohammed Ali, a veteran dental practitioner in Charminar, highlighted the historical significance of these infrastructures. “Around 100 years ago, when the Old City had a population of four lakhs, Nizam Mir Osman Ali constructed an 11-kilometer-long, eight-foot-wide nala from Barkas via Falaknuma. This drainage system, which connects hundreds of localities to the Musi River, remains functional and effective even today.”
The old pipeline systems, built by the Nizam, have proven to be remarkably resilient. Mohammed Waheed, a 77-year-old shopkeeper from DoodhBowli, noted, “Despite the Old City’s population now exceeding 60 lakhs, the pipelines remain robust, with no significant complaints of damage, except in a few localities.”
[Read more on Radiancenews.com]