Cyberabad civic challenges: The Citizens’ Council calls for better flood, fire safety measures
HYDERABAD: To address growing civic and environmental challenges in the expanding Cyberabad region, the Citizens’ Council has submitted detailed recommendations to the HYDRAA Commissioner on disaster management, fire safety, and urban flood control.
The meeting, organized by HYDRAA–RWA and civil society groups, brought together the Citizens’ Council and the HYDRAA Commissioner to address public safety and ecological issues in Neknampur, Manikonda, Puppalaguda, and nearby areas.
During the discussion, the Council emphasized the need to strengthen disaster management and enhance fire safety services in rapidly urbanizing areas of Cyberabad, where infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth.
A key topic was the revival and restoration of Neknampur Lake (Ibrahim Bagh Cheruvu). The Council noted that lakes in Manikonda are deteriorating due to encroachments, sewage inflows, and unplanned development. Additionally, the Council raised concerns about poor engineering and planning of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), warning that badly designed STPs can worsen pollution instead of solving it.
Turning to flood management, the Council requested scientific restoration and desilting of Bulkapur Nala to improve resilience against waterlogging and monsoon floods.
The Council also raised urgent safety concerns about building a retaining wall along Pandenavagu Nala. They warned that the current engineering approach could block natural flood flow and endanger public safety during heavy rains.
More broadly, in its submission, the Council stressed that all development projects, lake restoration, nala works, and STPs, must follow engineering standards, environmental safeguards, disaster resilience norms, and public safety requirements.
The Citizens’ Council thanked HYDRAA for the chance to engage and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lakes, nalas, ecological systems, and public safety infrastructure in Cyberabad.
