Hyderabad rains: KTR directs GHMC to cover open drains

HYDERABAD: To avoid untoward incidents of children falling into open nalas, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) KT Rama Rao on Monday asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to take up capping, i.e., construction of box drains, of open nalas at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.

The capping works will be executed on nalas which are less than two metres wide. Officials have been issued instructions to come up with an action plan to complete the works on time.

Administrative sanction for Rs 300 crore would be accorded at the earliest to execute the works, the Minister said, and added that the State government would soon provide all the permissions and the required support to take up the works.

Rama Rao said most of the nalas which are less than two metres wide are located in densely populated areas, and asked the officials to take all precautions to avoid any untoward incidents.

For nalas that are more than two metres wide, where the execution of capping works is not feasible, the Minister directed officials to take up fencing works as per guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal and Supreme Court.

The corporation is equipped with details of nalas across its limits. The Minister wanted officials to focus on new areas and addition of new nalas.