Hyderabad civic body procures 14 boats to rescue residents in case of floods in city

A situation like this was witnessed in many areas of the Old City and LB Nagar, Kukatpally and Khairatabad zones.
The floods accompanied by the ongoing pandemic had turned into a nightmare for residents of Hyderabad last year. (Photo | EPS)
The floods accompanied by the ongoing pandemic had turned into a nightmare for residents of Hyderabad last year. (Photo | EPS)

HYDERABAD: Learning lessons from last year’s bitter experiences brought on by the acute shortage of boats for rescue operations, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporat ion (GHMC) is procuring 14 inflatable rescue boats, which are lightweight and portable for flood rescue purposes. When flood waters rose up to 10 to 12 feet in the city following heavy rains in October last year, the residents living on the ground floor climbed up to the first and second floor to escape from the rising levels of water.

A situation like this was witnessed in many areas of the Old City and LB Nagar, Kukatpally and Khairatabad zones. The rescue operation was hampered as there was an acute shortage of boats. Defunct and outdated pedal boats of the Tourism Department were pressed into service for shifting stranded people. Telangana had to procure boats from neighbouring states like Andhra Pradeshand Karnataka.

Now that the monsoon has arrived and with rains in the twin cities, the GHMC, as part of flood mitigation programme, is going to procure as many as 14 lightweight and portable boats used by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The total length of the boat will be upto 4,500 mm and width upto 1,900 mm. The accessories will contain floor board, foot pump (double action), two oars, one set of repair kit, two towing bow rings and inflatable keels.

These boats can carry about 10 people at once. Each of these rescue boats, with its accessories and two years of maintenance, is going to cost `8 lakh. GHMC Commissioner D S Lokesh Kumar directed zonal commissioners to procure two rescue boats each Secunderabad, Kukatpally, Khairatabad, Charminar and Serilingampally, while four rescue boats was sent for L B Nagar zone where water threat to colonies are high.

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