Encroachment-Ridden GO111 Areas Bore Brunt of Heavy Rains

 Hyderabad: The catchment areas of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar, which form a part of GO 111, witnessed heavy downpour in the last three days, leading to a rise in the water levels of the twin reservoirs.

Following the heavy rain, the water has encroached upon land parcels located adjacent to the main road, with some fields and land near Osmansagar, which are visible on regular days, now getting submerged. As the water levels increased, people were seen gathering near the Osmansagar catchment area, with some even beginning to fish.

According to officials from the irrigation department, the reduced holding capacity of the twin reservoirs can be attributed to the proliferation of illegal constructions, unauthorised layouts, buildings, and commercial establishments, including resorts and function halls/convention centres. These structures have rapidly developed in areas such as Janwada, Aziznagar, Gandipet, Moinabad, Shankarpally, and Khanapur.

With barren land parcels and fields now submerged, and water reaching the main road, residents in the GO 111 areas, particularly those in nearby towns and villages, fear inundation if the rains continue.

“It’s only after the lakes were encroached by farmhouses and commercial establishments that water started flooding our bylanes, homes, and main roads,” said B. Ratnaiah, resident of Janwada village. “Although the water enters the farmhouses, their daily lives are not affected like ours. They have ample staff to drain out the water using motor pumps, and they can lock up and leave until the rainwater recedes since it’s not their permanent residence,” he added.

Another resident from Aziznagar village expressed concern about the service road connecting Himayatsagar and Rajendra Nagar. “The water flow on this service road suddenly increases, and the low height of the road makes commuting risky,” he said.