Chennai and Hyderabad Floods: Drainage Fixes That Work

Both cities flood because rain has nowhere to go: lost lakes, undersized drains, and built-over channels.

Hyderabad's lakes shrank an estimated 61% between 1979 and 2024, choking natural water storage.

Real spending is happening — thousands of crores on Chennai drains, lake reclamation in Hyderabad.

Experts back sponge-city design, a single drainage authority, and protected wetland buffers.

Maintenance and pre-monsoon desilting matter as much as new construction.