Hyderabad rains: Musi water enters MGBS; hundreds of stranded passengers rescued

Hyderabad: Hundreds of stranded passengers were rescued after waters from the overflowing Musi river entered the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS)

Panic gripped when both bridges at MGBS, one of Asia’s largest bus depots, were submerged.

Sudden surge after Reservoir Gates Opened

Heavy inflows into the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs following days of rain forced authorities to lift 24 gates, discharging nearly 35,000 cusecs of water downstream. The Friday midnight release triggered a sharp rise in Musi’s level, causing the river to overflow into the sprawling MGBS campus.

Swift evacuation drive

Floodwaters inundated platforms and passenger waiting areas, leaving many trapped. Teams from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), GHMC, police, and fire services launched a rescue operation.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy instructed officials to prioritise evacuation and ensure the safety of passengers.

Bus operations hit, services diverted

With the depot completely cut off, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) suspended services from MGBS and diverted buses from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to alternative depots in the city. Officials described the situation as “unprecedented” for the landmark facility.

Residential colonies under water

The swelling Musi also flooded several neighbourhoods along its banks. Nearly 1,000 residents from Shankar Nagar, Vinayaka Veedhi, Moosa Nagar, Padma Nagar, and adjoining colonies in Chaderghat were shifted to relief camps.

The Chaderghat causeway went underwater, while the old Moosarambagh bridge was completely cut off. A new high-level bridge under construction at the site suffered damage as iron rods and stored materials were washed away.

Officials warn of more inflows

With rains continuing in upstream areas, authorities cautioned that water levels could rise further. Officials said Musi had not witnessed such volumes in recent times, raising concerns about additional flooding in low-lying areas.

Echo of 1908 Tragedy

Hyderabad’s worst flood disaster dates back to 1908, when the Musi claimed nearly 15,000 lives. The tragedy prompted the then Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, to engage engineer M. Visvesvaraya, who oversaw the construction of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs to regulate floods.