Temple chariot retrieved from Hussainsagar surplus nala during de-silting operations

Teams carrying the nala de-silting operations in Hussainsagar’s surplus channel at Chikkadapally area were in for a shock recently.

The massive drain snaking through the city connecting the historic lake with the Musi river yielded the most unlikely object, when the arm of the hydraulic excavator lugged out a temple chariot from the murky waters. The large wooden vehicle, used to carry idols in temple processions, was probably dumped in the drain after its time, surmise the officials, as the drain had not been flooded in recent times for the object to have been washed in.

This is not the first time that discarded articles have found their way into the city’s drains. The list of items retrieved very often from the stormwater drains include, but are not limited to, sofa sets, cots, mattresses, pillows, tables, chairs, and even electrical gadgets such as discarded refrigerators and air coolers.

The more routine yield includes tonnes of plastic waste, paper plates, cups, rags and all other sorts of garbage during de-silting operations before the arrival of monsoons.

There is no distinction between upscale and downscale localities when it comes to trashing the drains. Banjara Hills, the most expensive locality in the city, is also a highly vulnerable location, where the Bulkapur nala is rampantly abused.

“We have carried de-silting of the drain near Paramount Hills in Shaikpet thrice during the past two months. Still, the narrow channel keeps getting filled with trash. Civic awareness and responsibility should match the spirit of the law,” an official said.

So far this year, de-silting operations have clocked 86.25% completion rate, with clearance of 816.75 kilometres out of 946.91 kilometre nala length in the city. The silt removed and carted to the solid waste processing facility in Jawahar Nagar weighed over six lakh metric tonnes. Annually, GHMC spends about ₹55 crore on dedicated de-silting operations to avoid water stagnation and inundation during monsoons.

Six years ago, GHMC had initiated a 10-day drive to collect the discarded articles from households so that they would not be dumped in the stormwater drains. It was highly successful with GHMC receiving 235 metric tonnes of discarded articles, such as furniture, e-waste, clothes, mattresses, plastic articles, glass and hazardous material. Instead of converting the drive into a continuous process aimed at the health of the city’s drains, the civic authorities jettisoned the project with no explanation.

Published - June 13, 2025 08:21 pm IST