Ground Report: 1,000 Kondapur families say GHMC ignoring bad drainage, piles of garbage and stray dog issues

Hyderabad: Residents of Sanvi Blue Bells, Sai Yeshwanth Avenue, Anantha Sai Residency, Pristine IVY Nest, Sai Aditya Layout and others in Raghvendra Shelter Colony in Kondapur are frustrated with the poor living conditions they have been facing for two years.

The colony of approximately 1,000 families suffers from bad roads, an improper underground drainage system, irregular garbage collection, and mosquito and stray dog menace, among other issues.

Domestic sewage overflowing onto the roads

Sharing his plight with the NewsMeter, Syamanth Sanda, a resident of Sanvi Blue Bells, said, “Two years ago, I purchased a flat here. Afterwards, I noticed the colony has no underground drainage system. Most of the time, the sewage from the apartments here overflows onto the road, posing a risk to motorists and pedestrians, as well as a health hazard for us.”

Dangerous street dogs everywhere

Another major problem haunting the colony is the stray dog menace.

A growing number of stray dogs, wandering in the neighbourhood freely, are posing a severe threat to the residents. Locals are afraid of these dogs because they are everywhere, which makes it hard for them to move around safely, particularly early mornings and late nights, Syamanth said.

The situation has been escalating for months but the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has taken no real action. Children, the elderly, the visitors and those passing by are particularly vulnerable.

The stray dog menace is a city-wide issue. Many dog attacks have been reported across the twin cities. The GHMC should immediately act by sterilisation and relocation programmes for stray dogs to ensure public safety. Until then, the fear and anxiety among Raghavendra Shelter Colony residents will continue, he added.

No action even after visits by public representatives

Syamanth also said that, in December 2022, corporator Nagender Yadav visited the locality after complaints poured out from the colony about bad roads, lack of an underground drainage system, irregular garbage collection, and mosquito and stray dog menace.

“It’s been almost two years and four months since the corporator visited our locality and promised proper drainage and roads. But there has been no progress. We are being asked to continue paying taxes, while the GHMC has turned deaf to our long pending demands,” he said.

Lack of garbage collection gives rise to toxic dumps

Another resident, Venu Babu of Sai Yeshwanth Avenue, said, “I have been staying in the colony since 2018. The construction in and around Kondapur picked up after 2016 as the area was considered a booming real estate hub with flourishing commercial establishments. However, now, the children and the elderly are frequently falling ill because of the indiscriminate dumping of waste in the vacant lots in the colony. The garbage collecting staff doesn’t visit the locality daily forcing the locals to dump waste at certain places.”

Garbage piling up along the roads

Venu Babu also said that debris is being dumped beside the roads in the colony, causing severe inconvenience to the residents. Officials don’t respond until and unless a complaint is raised. The GHMC staff are not visiting the colony to sweep the roads, which is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by the civic body. “All the buildings in the colony are constructed as per the GHMC norms and everyone pays the property tax. The GHMC officials should visit the locality to take stock of the situation and address our long-pending demands,” he said.

Mosquitoes spread diseases every monsoon

“For the last two years, I have been staying at Sanvi Blue Bells. A serious threat from mosquitoes is also present, and many locals have suffered from vector-borne diseases during the monsoon. The civic officials don’t pay attention to our complaints. We have to knock on a lot of officers’ doors, even to get the fogging and mosquito repellent spraying done,” said another resident Harish.

Harish also said that there are two parks in the colony which are only for the namesake, reflecting the apathy of the GHMC towards their maintenance.

“Whether it is lack of funds or poor maintenance, the purpose of parks has been defeated due to the dire state they are in now. They have become a home for stray animals, causing hurdles for residents who want to spend leisure time at the parks,” he said and urged the officials to ensure proper maintenance of the parks to make them more accessible.