Hyderabad | Heavy rain caught us off guard, say Cyberabad Traffic Police

The intense downpour in Hyderabad on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) may have lasted little more than an hour, but it sent traffic flow out of whack at several locations where motorists were caught for hours.

Flooding blocked traffic flow at several known hotspots across Hyderabad and Cyberabad, including beneath the Kothaguda-Kondapur flyover and near Preston Prime Mall in Gachibowli. Videos of submerged vehicles, flooded shops and stranded commuters, quickly spread across social media as the rain brought parts of the city to a standstill.

Catchment areas to collect rainwater overwhelmed

According to traffic police officials, catchment areas developed to collect excess rainwater and prevent waterlogging on roads were overwhelmed by the volume of water during the sudden spell of heavy rain. The situation was particularly visible beneath the Kothaguda-Kondapur flyover, where water accumulated rapidly, leaving several vehicles partially submerged.

Reassessment of infra needed

While the flooding subsided within hours, officials said the incident highlighted the need to reassess the capacity of existing catchment areas, drainage vents and associated infrastructure at locations that repeatedly witness waterlogging during the monsoon.

Personnel from Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency’s (HYDRAA) Disaster Response Force (DRF) trying to clear to a waterlogged road in Bansilalpet, Secunderabad, after rain on June 9, 2026
| Video Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G

“Some of these concerns related to the catchment areas and their vents were brought to the attention of the municipality and the works are yet to be completed. Yesterday’s rain caught us all off guard and highlighted the need to address them immediately,” said an official from the Gachibowli Traffic Police.

Personnel from the Disaster Response Force (DRF) and Traffic Police were seen standing in knee deep water and clearing waste from drains and vents to facilitate the movement of water.

Dug up Cyberabad roads pose additional challenge

Amid ongoing infrastructure works across the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate, several roads are currently dug up for utility projects, creating additional challenges during adverse weather conditions.

“Two major agencies carrying out works across the Commissionerate are Telangana State Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) and Bhagyanagar Gas Limited (BGL), which is expanding its piped natural gas network and household PNG connections. Large-scale excavations associated with these projects have left several stretches of road damaged or partially inaccessible, increasing pressure on traffic movement and drainage during rains,” said a Traffic Police official.

The timing of Tuesday’s downpour resulted in kilometres-long traffic congestion across the IT corridor including Ikea flyover, Hitec City main road among others.

Two to four hours travel time

Commuters reported travel times stretching between two and four hours from major employment hubs such as Gachibowli, Hitec City and the Financial District to residential areas including Jubilee Hills, Kukatpally, KPHB and Mehdipatnam.

According to Cyberabad traffic police officials, the impact was intensified as thousands of employees left offices at roughly the same time despite weather advisories being issued earlier in the evening.

Advisory issued at 4 p.m.

“Despite the advisory around 4 p.m. when the weather suddenly changed, most corporates did not stagger the timing of their employees and thousands of vehicles left the IT parks at the same time, right when the rain intensified around 5.30 p.m., worsening the situation on the roads,” an official said.