Telangana’s Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to develop ‘nalas’ (drains) to avoid a flood-like situation in Hyderabad.

The minister held a review on the development and expansion works of nalas which will be taken up in the GHMC limits.

To prevent inundation in the city, GHMC officials have come up with a comprehensive programme for the development of nalas which was reviewed by KTR, as the minister is popularly known.

He stated that there was a need to strengthen the age-old nala and sewer system, keeping in mind the rapid urbanisation, and the government is working towards the same by coming up with a comprehensive nala development programme.

He noted that Hyderabad has been recording heavy to very heavy rains in recent times, and to avoid a flood-like situation in the city, the government is taking up nalas development and expansion works.

The government wants to take up these works in a well-planned manner to ensure no citizen goes through any kind of inconvenience in the future, said KTR. He added that the government will take care of the poor who get affected by these works.

He also stated that the government is also considering the allocation of 2 BHK dignity houses for the affected ones based on their eligibility.

He said the government would also come up with a law, if needed, for the development and expansion of nalas and lakes in the city.

The zonal Commissioners of the GHMC submitted a detailed report to the minister on the works taken up which include clearing obstacles in nalas, expansion of nalas, and construction of retaining walls.

The minister directed the officials to take up all these works along with the Strategic Nala Development Programme. He asked the officials to identify bottlenecks in nalas and clear them on a war footing.

A meeting will be called soon with all the MLAs from GHMC limits, he added.