HYDRAA Commissioner lauds MET teams for monsoon work
HYDERABAD: Contractors of Monsoon Emergency Teams (MET) and Static Teams who worked with the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) during the monsoon expressed satisfaction over the results, saying the experience of working with the agency was new and positive.
“Every year we do this work. But the work done this monsoon gave us real satisfaction. Heavy rain was common, with 10 to 20 cm recorded in a single day. Yet there was no flooding anywhere. Colonies and bastis were not submerged. Even where waterlogging occurred, it cleared quickly,” the contractors said.
They said the outcome showed the impact of working in a systematic manner. “Official supervision, coordination and prompt resolution of issues made our work easier. The results were visible at the field level,” they added.
The contractors met HYDRAA Commissioner A V Ranganath and thanked him for the cooperation extended during the monsoon. Ranganath, in turn, congratulated the MET contractors for their efforts.
He said that while the contract scope covered desilting of culverts and catch pits, the teams also cleared stormwater drains in coordination with HYDRAA. “This ensured smooth movement of floodwater,” he said.
Support at every step
Contractors said HYDRAA extended support from the contractor selection stage through the entire 150 day work period. With separate contractors allotted to 30 circles, the process also created employment opportunities.
Each division had three teams, with five workers per team. In total, 150 MET teams involving 2,250 workers were deployed across the city. They were supported by 1,200 Static Team members, who worked in areas prone to water stagnation.
After the first spell of rain, HYDRAA assessed vulnerable locations and suggested solutions. MET teams were deployed accordingly. The HYDRAA Commissioner also conducted field inspections during spells of heavy rain.
“We cleared silt from culverts, catch pits and stormwater drains. These works were inspected multiple times at the field level. HYDRAA staff stood by us throughout, which helped us achieve better results,” the contractors said.
Work never felt difficult
Contractors said support was provided at all levels, including by HYDRAA officials, Disaster Response Force teams and sanitation field staff.
“This was our first time working with a new organisation, and we had initial apprehensions. But there were no difficulties. The work never felt hard,” they said.
They noted that while desilting culverts and catch pits is part of HYDRAA’s mandate, flood prevention also required clearing stormwater drains. Acting on this assessment, six silted underground pipelines were cleared in Ameerpet, preventing flooding there this year.
In Krishnanagar, large-scale desilting prevented roads from being inundated. Residents of Yellareddyguda and Ambedkar Nagar thanked HYDRAA for the relief.
Similar results were seen in Tolichowki, the Old City and LB Nagar. “Being part of this effort has given us a sense of satisfaction. Working with HYDRAA across Hyderabad has been a new experience,” the contractors said.
ions during heavy rain.
“We cleared silt from culverts, catch pits and drains. These works were inspected several times at the field level. HYDRAA staff stood by us and supported us throughout, helping us achieve better results,” the contractors said.
