Telangana’s HYDRA Deploys Specialised Bike Teams for Rapid Monsoon Emergency Response
Hyderabad, June 13 (TNT): With the onset of the monsoon and increasing incidents of heavy rainfall, flooding and fallen trees across Hyderabad, HYDRA has intensified the deployment of its specialised bike teams to ensure swift emergency response and restoration of normal traffic movement.
In a release, Officials said Hyderabad has witnessed instances of receiving up to 10 cm of rainfall within 30 minutes to an hour, resulting in severe waterlogging and disruption to traffic due to uprooted trees and fallen branches.
To tackle such situations, HYDRA has strengthened the operations of its bike teams, which were originally launched by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy during the inauguration of the HYDRA Police Station last year.
A total of 20 motorcycles have been deployed across the city alongside Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles to facilitate rapid response in areas that are inaccessible to larger emergency vehicles.
The bike teams function round the clock with 60 personnel working in three shifts and are stationed at strategic locations across Hyderabad.
Acting as frontline responders, the teams are equipped to quickly reach affected sites and undertake immediate relief and clearance operations.
Each motorcycle carries specialised equipment, including battery-operated chainsaws, heavy-duty ropes and essential cutting tools, enabling personnel to remove fallen trees and branches and restore traffic movement at the earliest.
Officials said the teams can manoeuvre through traffic congestion and narrow access routes far more quickly than larger vehicles.
In areas where motorcycles cannot proceed further, personnel carry the equipment by hand to reach the affected location.
Apart from clearing fallen trees, the bike teams are also deployed at waterlogging points, carrying spades and other tools to clear drainage blockages and assist in flood mitigation efforts.
HYDRA has provided specialised training to the personnel to handle a range of emergency situations, with DRF staff accompanying them during operations.
The teams work in coordination with Monsoon Emergency Teams, Static Teams and DRF units.
The effectiveness of the initiative was demonstrated on Friday night when three trees collapsed on both sides of Road No. 1 in Banjara Hills, while additional trees fell onto the Millennium Block at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).
HYDRA bike teams reached the locations immediately with chainsaws and other equipment. At NIMS, personnel removed the fallen trees through building windows, while at Banjara Hills they swiftly cleared branches and restored traffic movement on one side of the road.
The rapid interventions have highlighted the growing importance of HYDRA’s bike teams as a critical component of Hyderabad’s monsoon emergency response mechanism, helping minimise disruption and improve public safety during adverse weather conditions, the officials added.
TNT TS
