Haphazard construction blocking the natural course of water, slow drainage due to choked storm water drains, and insufficiency of the existing drains were apparently the reasons behind the heavy inundation at the Biodiverstiy Junction, Gachibowli.
Easing the water out has taken almost two days for GHMC officials, after the Monday’s deluge. The traffic flow was severely hampered on the stretch giving the commuters a harrowing time.
The Chief Engineer (Projects) R. Sreedhar whose task it was to get the junction restored, had to approach the Traffic Police asking them to close the road for 12 hours, after which earthen bunds were created on both sides of the storm water pipe culvert to remove the stagnated water.
The engineering staff were shocked to see the storm water pipes which were dug up after the water was cleared. The three pipes-- two with the diameter of 900 mm and one with two metres-- were fully choked with garbage, and plastic waste.
The garbage which accumulated over long time, hardened into obstinate blocks of dirt, and hampered the flow of rain water leading to stagnation on the road.
Encroachment of natural water channels and heavy construction too has blocked the escape routes, leading to the flooding. The Barlakunta nala which flows through these areas was indiscriminately encroached or diverted, which resulted in the water coursing through the thoroughfares to drain into Khajaguda Tank.
Percolation into the ground has been completely prevented, and the open lands which would form puddles to contain water flow for some time, disappeared with rampant construction of high-rise structures.
Mr.Sreedhar has also admitted that the size of the pipelines was too small to carry the load of water during heavy rains. GHMC has taken up the construction of twin box culvert with the size of 7X2 meters taking into consideration the hydraulic pressure. The work is in progress with an expenditure of ₹ 2.2 crore.
GHMC has, through a press statement, urged the general public not to throw plastic waste on roads or dump them in drains, as it will lead to chronic problems of infrastructural failure later.