Hyderabad Flooding in 2025
The 2025 monsoon in Hyderabad led to severe localized flooding, impacting residents, infrastructure, and businesses. This highlighted the shifting rainfall patterns in Telangana, with an increase from the 20th-century average of 76.88 cm to 91.84 cm over the last 25 years.
Impact on Residents and Infrastructure
- Residents:
- High-rise basements flooded, cars swept away.
- Poor communities along the Musi River and lake beds suffered significant losses, including rations, home appliances, and vehicles.
- Families in Moosa Nagar, Chaderghat, and Kishanbagh faced disrupted education and increased water-borne diseases.
- Infrastructure:
- Roads damaged and businesses closed.
- Electric supply disrupted for days.
Causes of Vulnerability
- Ignoring natural gradients and watersheds.
- Civic corruption and neglect of zoning regulations.
- Encroachment on stormwater drains and shrinking lakes.
Government Response and Initiatives
- Hyderabad Disaster Management and Asset Protection Agency (2024):
- Efforts to clear lake bed encroachments and rejuvenate water bodies.
- Restoration of Bathukamma Kunta lake as a positive example.
- Urban Challenge Fund:
- ₹1 lakh crore aimed at ‘Cities as Growth Hubs’, ‘Creative Redevelopment’, and ‘Water and Sanitation’.
- Finances up to 25% of project costs, with 50% funded from bonds, loans, and PPPs.
Need for Dedicated Funding and Resilience
- Proposed climate emergency fund for short-term and long-term needs.
- Telangana's Musi Riverfront Development Plan focuses on resilience and aligns with MoHUA’s 2021 guidelines.
- Estimated project cost: ₹1 lakh crore to ₹1.5 lakh crore, facing funding challenges.
Conclusion
Hyderabad's flooding issues underscore the need for urgent and substantial climate resilience funding to support sustainable development and prevent future crises.