Cops to rescue: Netizens angry with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation

HYDERABAD: Every time there is a heavy downpour in Hyderabad, pictures of traffic police assisting citizens, easing congestion, removing manhole covers go viral on the internet and are applauded. However, this time around, people are questioning as to what the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) teams are doing and why is it always the police who have to go beyond all their limits. Hyderabad witnessed heavy rains along with thunderstorm on Friday evening. Several places in the city came to a stand- still while commuters were trying to avoid pot holes and waterlogged roads, with many looking up to the traffic police for help.

Hyderabad traffic police as always won many hearts on the internet on Saturday after pictures showing the traffic constables standing in knee deep water, removing fallen branches, debris and performing their duty went viral. A traffic police J. Srinivas was seen cleaning a manhole for passage of rain water near Imax theatre. Several such pictures were shared on the internet. However, citizens pointed out that police were paying the price of negligence of GHMC officials. One Pavan Kumar Bejugam, while appreciating the police action, tweeted: “If GHMC is not proactive, then traffic police is reactive for this kind of cause (sic)”.

While praises were showered on the police, simultaneously many social media users were asking the whereabouts of GHMC officials and questioned the condition of roads. One Shiva R. said that the pictures of police going out of their way to help people should be shown to civic body officials as: “We don’t repair or sanction new roads. Had GHMC maintained the roads, you wouldn’t have had to face this situation (sic)” Meanwhile, GHMC emergency teams, however, were doing their bit in clearing stagnant points, fallen trees etc. On the other hand, a social media user even pointed out that these pictures were directly exposing the failures of the government.