Commuters struggle as sudden downpour floods Hyderabad

A sudden spell of heavy rain disrupted traffic across Hyderabad on Saturday (July 19) afternoon, flooding roads, snarling traffic and forcing commuters to take cover wherever they could. The city, which saw a humid and sunny start to the weekend, was caught off guard when intense rainfall lashed several parts between 3 and 5 p.m.

Waterlogging was reported from multiple stretches including Chandrayangutta, Tarnaka, Balamrai, Chilkalguda, JBS Junction, Kondapur, Gachibowli, SP Road, Bowenpally, Karkhana, Chilkalguda X roads, Malakpet and Alugadda Bavi, leaving motorists stranded and traffic crawling.

A flooded Patny Nagar Colony in Secunderabad on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G

In several areas, two-wheeler riders stopped under Metro pillars for shelter, even as some of them wore raincoats. “I had my raincoat on, but the downpour was so harsh I couldn’t see the road clearly,” said K. Shiva Kumar, a delivery executive who took cover near the Ameerpet Metro station. “There was no point riding in that mess. I waited nearly 30 minutes before the rain slowed down.”

Another commuter, 28-year-old Sruthika, said he was stuck on the JBS junction for a good 30 minutes. “Vehicles weren’t moving at all. It was like the road turned into a river. I had to slowly push my bike through ankle-deep water,” he said.

At Tarnaka, traffic personnel from the Osmania University division quickly responded to remove fallen tree branches and ease the congestion. The Hyderabad Traffic Police and Disaster Response Force (DRF) were also deployed across key trouble spots, including Alugadda Bavi underpass, which was completely waterlogged.

Khaki-clad traffic policemen in trench coats were seen across the city, braving the downpour as they directed vehicles through flooded roads and intersections.

At Habsiguda, a commuter on a two-wheeler faced trouble when his bike broke down in knee-deep water. “It just gave up halfway,” he said, dragging the stalled vehicle to the side as rainwater swirled around his clogs and traffic honked past in slow, chaotic spurts.

On X (formerly Twitter), Hyderabad police provided real-time updates. “Due to rain and heavy traffic, vehicle movement is slow from KCP to Panjagutta Road,” one update read. Another warned of delays near Tolichowki Flyover, Mandar Complex and Nanalnagar due to standing water.

In the southern parts of the city, the Chandrayangutta to Aramghar stretch was among the worst-affected. With up to three feet of water stagnant on the road near the police station, vehicles were stranded for over two hours. Traffic police struggled to divert flow as cars broke down and two-wheelers toppled while trying to navigate the submerged stretch.

Cyberabad police flagged severe congestion in Kondapur and neighbouring tech corridors. “Heavy rains caused sudden waterlogging in Cyberabad, leading to major traffic snarls. Our officers swiftly took charge and worked relentlessly to ease congestion,” police posted.