Paigah Colony battles sewage overflow as lack of sewer line floods Pattigadda Road
HYDERABAD: Photographs and videos emerging from Paigah Colony, Pattigadda, Begumpet tell a stark story, a road submerged under overflowing sewage water, motorcycles wading through it wheel-deep, ripples rising from active overflow points beneath the surface.
The images and videos, captured on July 7, 2026, in the possession of of this correspondent, show the extent of a crisis that residents say has been recurring for five years and worsening each monsoon season. Reportedly, Paigah Colony has never had a dedicated sewerage line. Instead, its drainage has been connected to the stormwater drain. As a result, every time it rains, sewage backs up, overflows, and floods the road and surrounding homes.
Hassan Khan, a resident, spoke to HyderabadMail about the situation. He said, “This colony doesn’t have a dedicated sewer line. They connected it to the stormwater drain instead. It’s not just now, whenever it rains, we face this problem. It has been going on for five years.”
The root cause is not a blocked drain or a broken pipe. Rather, the colony lacks basic sanitation infrastructure. Without a separate sewer line, wastewater flows into the stormwater channel. During the monsoon, heavy rain increases the water volume and the channel cannot handle the combined load. Consequently, sewage backs up, spills onto Pattigadda Road, and floods homes and public spaces for extended periods. In fact, the sewage overflow has continued for at least 15 days. Only a permanent infrastructure solution will stop it, added Hassan Khan.
The photographs show the road almost fully submerged. Meanwhile, vehicles try to move through standing wastewater. One image shows water bubbling up from below the surface, indicating active overflow from the underground pipeline. Additionally, another shows water gushing into a building’s ground-floor cellar.
Hassan Khan said residents have complained to GHMC officials through WhatsApp many times. “They only provide temporary fixes and leave. They have not laid a new drainage line or made any lasting changes,” he said. Moreover, residents have also contacted HMWSSB on social media. They called for urgent action and demanded a dedicated sewer pipeline to replace the current stormwater drain connection.
kindly note @HMWSSBOnline urjent action needed As sewage overflowing at Paigah colony pattigadda Begumpet urging for permanent solution for laying Dedicated sewer pipelines presently connected to storm water pipes causing rain water entering homes pic.twitter.com/6LwZGjzokV
— Sandhya Rani vemula (@Vemulasandhy) July 6, 2026
The standing wastewater has created a new crisis. Residents now face a severe mosquito infestation because the stagnant water is a breeding ground for disease-carrying insects. Elderly residents suffer the most, facing health risks and being unable to leave their homes safely while the street remains flooded. “Elderly people are suffering. Thousands of residents are affected. GHMC and HMWSSB have not responded,” residents added.
With the monsoon at its peak and more rain expected, the risk of worsening overflow and the spread of waterborne and vector-borne diseases is significant and growing.
Residents are clear about their demand. They want a dedicated sewer pipeline, like other colonies in Hyderabad. Separate pipelines for stormwater and sewage would prevent flooding during monsoon. “This colony lacks a sewer line. That is the problem. That is what needs to be fixed,” Hassan Khan said.
