Kurnool city sleeps as flood threat looms again

Kurnool: Kurnool city which witnessed a devastating flood in 2009 could face a similar situation if the officials do not respond to the danger signals in the form of roads and low-lying areas being clogged with stagnant water.

A mere record of 5 cm rain on any day is enough to maroon many residential areas. This year, weather officials are predicting good rain in Andhra Pradesh.

Residents worry over the fate of city if there is torrential rain as the city lacks a storm water drain. The natural sources like Tungabhadra river, Handri river, KC Canal and Vakkileru Vaagu carry away the storm water as there is no system for smooth discharge of rain water, some roads and circles have transformed into water ponds due to lack of proper drainage system.  Nearly 6 lakh people live in Kurnool. It is a pity that the first state capital has no underground drainage system.Many drains are unable to handle the high influx of water from heavy downpours. Water then begins to stagnate into ponds on the road, leading to travel hazards and delays.

Motorists are urged to turn around if they encounter high water in their path.

Mostly, the people face problems at Anand cinema complex, Gandhinagar and Kids World Park and at other areas. Low-level areas are particularly vulnerable to continuous downpours.

According to Kurnool Municipal Corporation commissioner C.B. Harinath Reddy the storm water merges into Tungabhadra river, Handri river, KC canal and Vakkileru vaagu passing through the city, through open drains. They submitted proposals to construct underground drainage in the city in 2007 at an cost of '150 crore and it is pending at government level, he told.  There is no need to construct storm water ponds if the UGD is completed because the open drains will use as storm water system, he added.