Drowning in monsoon, dreaming of growth: recurring monsoon flooding in Warangal

Every monsoon, parts of Warangal slip under water with unsettling ease: low lying colonies inundated, homes breached and families briefly displaced. The pattern is neither new nor unpredictable.

“This happens every year during monsoon,” says Srinivas, a resident of S.R. Nagar. His account echoes across several neighbourhoods within the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) limits, the second-largest urban conglomeration in Telangana after Hyderabad, capturing a city grappling with persistent civic distress.

Even as the city wades through this recurring cycle, an ambitious transformation is taking shape on paper, seeking to reposition Warangal as a major growth centre in northern Telangana.

Located about 140 km northeast of the State capital, Warangal is a key educational, healthcare, transport (railway) and cultural hub in north Telangana. Founded around 1163 CE by the Kakatiya rulers, the city, then known as Orugallu or Ekashila Nagaram, emerged as a centre of political power, architecture, and Telangana’s rich heritage and culture.

Warangal has witnessed steady population growth over the decades. As per the 2011 Census, the population stood at around 6.15 lakh, while the broader urban agglomeration covering Warangal, Hanumakonda and Kazipet crossed 10 lakh. Often described as a tri-city cluster, the three function as a single economic and civic unit. Spread over 1,805 sq. km, this urban conglomeration now serves a population of around 13 lakh.

The Kakatiyas left behind a legacy of heritage monuments, including fortified structures, temple architecture and iconic stone gateways such as the Thousand Pillar Temple, Warangal Fort and the Kalatoranams (gateways). Even after the dynasty’s decline, the city continued to evolve under successive rulers, retaining its cultural and historical significance. It is, therefore, often called the ‘cultural capital’ of Telangana.

Warangal is also home to premier institutions such as the National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Warangal, Kakatiya University (KU) and Kakatiya Medical College (KMC).

However, analysts say prolonged administrative neglect by successive governments, along with historical, political and geographical factors, including during the recent Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime, has led to the city losing some of its former glory.

“The closure of major employment generators such as the Azam Jahi Mills was a big setback. The traditional beedi industry, which sustained nearly 20,000 women workers from economically weaker sections, has also virtually disappeared due to changing market conditions and regulatory pressures,” says Kurapati Venkat Narayana, former professor of economics at KU.

He adds that inadequate infrastructure, weak public and private investment, and the absence of a coherent long-term development visionstemming from the apathy of local representatives have compounded the city’s stagnation.

He notes that leaders such as former MPs Etikala Madhusudan Rao and M.S. Rajalingam played a key role in establishing institutions like NIT and KMC. “But sustained momentum in development has been lacking since then,” he says, blaming the previous BRS regime for dividing the erstwhile Warangal district, which had played a significant role in the separate State movement. “It was incorrect to arbitrarily divide the city into Warangal and Hanumakonda districts,” he adds, alleging that the BRS failed to accord adequate focus and funding to the city.

Expressing similar concerns, Santosh Manduva, president of a local NGO, says even brief spells of rain inundate low lying colonies across the tri-cities, exposing structural deficiencies in stormwater drainage, urban planning and maintenance systems. The problem is neither new nor sporadic but cyclical and predictable, largely due to illegal encroachments on waterbodies in a city known for its temples and tanks, he adds.

The immediate demands are basic yet critical: removal of encroachments on nalas (water channels) and tanks, pre-monsoon desilting, prevention of solid waste dumping into drains and, above all, a comprehensive stormwater drainage system. These demands, however, run parallel to a larger transformation under way, one that aims to reposition Warangal as a major growth centre in northern Telangana.

Civic authorities acknowledge the shortcomings even as they point to interventions in progress. A proposed underground drainage (UGD) system, estimated at over ₹5,257 crore, aims to overhaul the city’s ageing sewerage network. Besides, a comprehensive stormwater drainage project worth about ₹1,200 crore is under consideration in its first phase.

Hanumakonda District Collector Chahat Bajpai, who also holds additional charge as GWMC Commissioner, says the administration is pursuing both immediate and long-term measures to check flooding. “We have taken several steps to prevent inundation during monsoon by widening major nalas, including the Bondivagu nala. We are also preparing a comprehensive plan to address flooding in a phased manner, alongside initiatives already under implementation across departments,” she says, adding that lakes and tanks such as Bhadrakali, Waddepally and Gundam Cheruvu will be desilted. “We are also restoring the moat around Warangal Fort,” she says, pointing to a strategy that combines drainage improvements with ecological rejuvenation.

She notes that tenders for the UGD project would be issued soon. “The project aims to strengthen sanitation infrastructure and improve wastewater management in this rapidly expanding city,” she says, referring also to works taken up under the Smart City Mission.

Parallel works such as the Inner Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and internal roads are progressing under the Kakatiya Urban Development Authority and GWMC. These aim to ease congestion, improve junctions and strengthen intra-city mobility.

Connectivity as a catalyst

Among the most consequential developments is the revival of Mamnoor Airport, a long-pending demand that has now moved into the implementation stage. With 253 acres recently handed over, in addition to the 696 acres already in its possession, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is set to revive the Nizam-era airstrip at an estimated cost of ₹850 crore.

According to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, the airport will feature a 2,500-metre runway capable of handling large aircraft. Operations are likely to commence by the end of 2027.

Describing it as a key enabler of economic growth, Warangal District Collector P. Satya Sharada says, “The AAI is expected to lay the foundation for revival works within a few months.”

The airport will not only support the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP) in transporting goods to international markets but also boost tourism in the erstwhile Warangal district, she asserts, citing destinations such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ramappa Temple in Mulugu district.

For stakeholders, the airport represents more than improved connectivity. Mandala Parashuramulu, former Child Welfare Committee chairperson, calls it a structural shift. “The Mamnoor Airport will attract investments in sectors such as IT, hospitality and logistics,” he says, adding that it could trigger a multiplier effect by drawing industries to the region.

Industrial anchors and employment

The KMTP, on the outskirts of Warangal, is positioned as a key industrial anchor. While a few units have begun operations or are nearing completion, the pace of expansion remains modest.

Developed under the PM MITRA scheme, the park is envisioned as an integrated textile manufacturing hub to strengthen Telangana’s industrial base. Spread across 1,327 acres, it is expected to attract investments exceeding US $400 million and generate over one lakh jobs. So far, about 540 acres have been allotted to textile units, with 326 acres still available.

“The government should introduce textile technology courses and implement skill development programmes, particularly for women in garment manufacturing,” a local weaver says.

At present, three units, including a South Korea-based global textile and apparel major, are at various stages of development, with employment potential running into several thousand. However, opportunities remain limited in the short term. Sources say around 1,000 employees are currently working at the park.

“I am unable to get a job due to the limited number of units at KMTP,” says Gundu Jyothsna, a 25-year-old job seeker in the city, hailing from a traditional weaver community. He remains hopeful that upcoming large units and MSME projects, expected to generate around 27,000 direct and 50,000 indirect jobs, will accelerate hiring.

Another major project is the railway manufacturing unit (RMU) near Kazipet junction, expected to be commissioned this year. Being built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited at a cost of ₹716 crore, it will manufacture 16-coach MEMU rakes.

Together, the textile park and RMU are expected to form the backbone of Warangal’s manufacturing ecosystem. “The RMU is projected to create around 4,500 jobs. But our demand is that most of these should go to local eligible candidates,” Parashuramulu says.

Complementing industrial growth is the expansion of healthcare infrastructure. A 24-storey multi super-specialty hospital, coming up on a 56-acre campus at the Old Central Jail site near KMC and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, is expected to be inaugurated in June.

The facility is set to strengthen tertiary healthcare services in the region, catering to patients from the erstwhile Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam and Adilabad districts. It is also expected to reduce dependence on Hyderabad, and position Warangal as a key healthcare hub for northern Telangana.

Beyond industry, experts say Warangal’s immediate potential lies in leveraging its strong agricultural base, supported by robust road and railway connectivity. Siddartha Namburi, a young entrepreneur from Warangal, points out that while output of cotton, chilli and paddy has increased, much of the value addition happens outside the region. “The most immediate opportunity lies in agro-allied industries. Despite higher production, the value addition largely takes place elsewhere, limiting income growth and employment,” he says.

He notes that although the erstwhile Warangal district is among the largest chilli-producing regions in Telangana, the absence of major spice processing and packaging units means farmers and local youth miss out on economic gains. “Earlier attempts to establish a dedicated spices hub remain unfinished. Reviving it could generate substantial employment and boost the regional economy,” avers Siddartha.

Echoing this, a trader says farmers should be encouraged to adopt organic practices, which have strong demand in international markets. Improved logistics through the upcoming airport, he adds, could further ease exports and strengthen farm-to-market linkages.

Warangal’s historical and cultural assets remain an underutilised pillar of growth. From Kakatiya-era monuments to its network of lakes and heritage sites, the region holds great tourism potential. “Training local youth as tourist guides can create employment and improve visitor experience,” says Vamshi Mohan, a tourism graduate.

Need for an integrated vision

For long-time observers, Warangal’s trajectory reflects a mix of missed opportunities and emerging possibilities. Venkatanarayana stresses the need for integrated planning. “The development of Warangal in the right earnest is possible only by integrating Hanumakonda and Warangal districts,” he says. He attributes the city’s earlier stagnation to inadequate investment, infrastructure gaps and the absence of a long-term political vision but he sees the current wave of projects as a potential turning point.

Warangal stands at a critical juncture, caught between recurring civic challenges and a pipeline of transformative projects. The contrast is stark: floodwaters entering homes on one hand and multi-crore infrastructure projects on the other.

For residents, the expectation is immediate: relief from flooding and better basic services. For policymakers, the task is more complex: ensuring that large-scale investments translate into inclusive, sustained growth that helps the city reclaim its past stature.