Heavy rain has been hitting Hyderabad for the third day in a row, causing traffic problems in various areas of the city. The Secretariat and Martyr’s Memorial roads were flooded with water that was at least one foot deep. Similar situations were observed in Somajiguda, Punjagutta, Nampally, Bowenpally, Habsiguda, Tarnaka, Dilsukhnagar, Nagole, Ramanthapur, Malakpet, Manikonda, Raidurgam, Madhapur, and other parts of the city.
Videos of bumper-to-bumper traffic near Biodiversity junction went viral as vehicles moved very slowly. The IT corridor, Jubilee Hills, Mehdipatnam, Masab Tank, Lakdikapul, Banjara Hills, Punjagutta, Begumpet, Secunderabad, Tarnaka, and Uppal were also affected by traffic congestion. Some commuters reported that it took them almost an hour to cross the flooded road near Raidurg Metro station.
To manage the traffic situation, the Cyberabad police deployed their entire force and took measures to minimize inconvenience for commuters. They advised people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. The Rachakonda commissioner of police also warned citizens to stay away from electric poles, trees, hoardings, and old structures.
However, some cab and auto drivers took advantage of the situation and charged exorbitant prices due to the rain. Trips from Begumpet to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport were costing over Rs 2,000, and from Mindspace to Nacharam around Rs 2,150. Users also complained about drivers canceling rides abruptly and demanding cash payments at double the usual rate.
