Hyderabad: The Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) is planning to establish two to three rainwater harvesting structures in each of its 76 wards, covering parks, road medians and identified waterlogging points, as part of a citywide groundwater recharge initiative.
The corporation aims to complete the installations before the coming monsoon. It has developed 10 different designs of rainwater harvesting structures. These include small recharge pits, modular structures, installations beneath flyovers and engineering borewell options. Based on the requirements of each ward, two or three suitable models will be selected for implementation.
The corporation has already taken up two pilot projects at Gulmohar Park and beneath the Madhapur flyover, which have reportedly yielded positive results.
The CMC currently has around 550 developed or ready-to-use parks, while another 300 are under development. Rainwater harvesting structures are planned in all these parks.
The corporation has also identified around 80 waterlogging points where rainwater harvesting wells or injection wells will be constructed to facilitate groundwater recharge. Suitable road medians will also be covered under the programme. The corporation aims to complete the installations at these locations before the coming monsoon.
Structures built on corporation properties will be maintained by the civic body, while those established in residential colonies will be maintained by the respective residents' associations. Officials also plan to encourage private participation and involve residential associations in the initiative.
The corporation is also planning stricter enforcement of rainwater harvesting requirements in large buildings, particularly those constructed on plots measuring 1,000 square yards. Infiltration pits or other prescribed rainwater harvesting structures will be mandatory, with compliance checked before issuing Occupancy Certificates (OCs).
Officials said that although rainwater harvesting has been a requirement for several years, it has not been consistently enforced. The corporation now intends to ensure that buildings comply with the requirement before granting occupancy permissions.
The initiative follows consultations with experts and a study of rainwater harvesting practices adopted in Coimbatore. The corporation aims to make rainwater conservation a permanent measure rather than a temporary response to prevailing water scarcity.