Following the sewage leak near Akbar Plaza in Malakpet, Hyderabad water board managing director Ashok Reddy visited the Malakpet–Nalgonda intersection on Tuesday, June 3, to inspect the ongoing sewerage repair work in the area.
During the inspection, Ashok Reddy discovered that a hotel near Nalgonda Chowrasta was illegally dumping food waste into a manhole, worsening the already critical situation. Expressing strong displeasure over this negligence, he imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the hotel and warned that GHMC officials would seal the premises within a week if a silt chamber was not constructed promptly.
Addressing the wider crisis, Reddy directed officials to fast-track the construction of new sewer lines from Nalgonda crossroads to Malakpet RUB as a temporary measure to ease the overflow problem.
The root cause was traced to a collapsed, decades-old sewer line with no proper outlet, causing sewage to spill onto the roads during heavy rains. GHMC officials struggled to identify the exact damaged spot due to the mingling of stormwater and sewage drains in the area.
To prevent such problems in the future, Ashok Reddy urged the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) and GHMC to collaborate closely and map all points where stormwater drains intersect with sewerage lines across the city.
He called for the construction of separate lines to avoid contamination and overflow. Additionally, he stressed the importance of conducting a thorough survey and de-silting all nearby sewer lines and manholes to stop recurring blockages and ensure a long-term solution.
