THE FLOODS OF 1908

AT HYDERABAD

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AN ACCOUNT OF THE FLOOD, ITS CAUSES AND
PROPOSED PREVENTIVE MEASURES

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 INDEX

S.No. Content Page No.

1. Preliminary. 2-4

2. The Flood. 5-8

3. Previous Flood. 9

4. Causes. 10-13

5. Preventive Measure-Storage Reservoir. 14-18

6. River Improvement Scheme. 19-21

7. Artistic and Sanitary Improvement along River Front. 22-24

8. Minor Proposals and Suggestions. 25-27

9. Cost of Schemes, Land Acquisition. 28-30

10. Summary of proposals- Conclusions. 31-33

11. Acknowledgments. 34-35

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 1)Preliminary
1. The City of Hyderabad is built along the bank of the river Musi in a region
occasionally subject to rainstorms of extreme violence. Both banks are
studded with dwelling extending west to east for over 3 miles.

The River attracts little notice for many years in succession. The monsoon
floods are usually confined to the banks. The fair weather flow for eight
months in the year is insignificant. But suddenly at intervals at 20 or 30
years, the stream comes swollen for a few months overflows and
submerges the settlements along the banks.

Again, once in50 or 100 years a more serious floods occurs, sweeping
away a great width of city and levying a heavy toll of human life and
property. Great many years may pass away without a flood but it comes at
lest.

2. On the 28th September 1908,there occurred the most destructive flood that
had been witnessed in Hyderabad for over three quarters of a century.

The river rose 15 to 20 feet high in the inhabited area. Enveloping houses
and property for an average width of half a mile. Numerous lives were lost
and about one quarter of the entire population was rendered homeless.

The citys losses and sufferings roused much sympathy in India and
England and attracted attention throughout the civilized world.

3. Under the commands of his Highness the Nizam, Prompt measure were
taken to afford shelter and relief to the sufferers on a generous scale.

At the same time, His Highness Government decided to have the causes of
the flood investigated with a view to the adoption of preventive measures.
The investigation have been in progress for several months past and the
results are presented in this report.

The object of the report is to give an account of the flood and its true
causes and to indicate measures necessary for the protection of the city
from further danger from this source.

4. The city of Hyderabad, the capitalof His Highness the Nizams dominions
is situated on the bank of the Musi in Lat.1722 North and Long.7827

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 East and at an elevation of about 1,650 feet generally above the mean sea
level.

On the south Bank lies the old fortified city and suburbs with a combined
Population numbering 1,92,861 souls and containing the palaces of His
Highness the Nizam and the residences of the principal nobles. On the
north bank is built the new city or suburb, Known as Chadarghat. Which
accommodates a large business population, the terminal Railway Station,
the principal Government offices and residences of many high officials of
the state.

The British Residency and Bazaars, with an aggregate population of 16,904

persons are built on this bank surrounded on three sides by the new city,
The combined population on the north bank is 1,42,223 persons and of the
entire Municipal area including the Residency and Bazaars 3,52,026
Persons .

Some 4 miles north of the river lies the British Cantonment of

Secunderabad with about 83,550 Residents and further north, come
Bolaram and Trimulgherry with 12,888 Persons. The total population of the
city and suburbs amounts to 4,18,466. The river therefore practically
divides the city and the cantonment areas referred to into nearly two equal
parts and occupies central position in a very populous area.

5. The south bank of the river is artificially raised and maintained at a higher
level then the opposite one by means of a main part wall flanked with
bastions. The north bank which was originally low lying ground has been
raised from time by irregular filling along the river front.

Parts of the quarter are still low and frequently liable to information. On
account of its central position, land along the river bank had a high value
before the flood and residences were in great demand. The river is spanned
by four bridges within the city which maintain communication between the
opposite bank.

Towards the lower end of river is an island known as Imlibun. This was
formed by the overflow and cording action of the river due to the
construction of an irrigation anicut across the original stream.

6. The river from its rise in the Anantagiri Hills to the city has a total length
of about 52 miles. The valley is 29 miles broad at the widest part and has
an area of 862 square miles.There miles above the city is the Sungam or the

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 confluence of the east with the Musi River. The East with a catchment of
521 Square miles is the largest of the two streams.

The main Musi River has a fall of 10 feet per mile in its course through the
city. The bed slopes of the river and its tributary for about ten miles above
the city vary from 7 to 13 feet per mile.

The catchment basin is composed of laterite and black cotton soil at the
extreme west end; the comes decomposed granite and the lower end of the
basin in a granite formation with clusters of hills and large boulders poised
in all manner of fantastic shapes.

There is a large amount of uncultivated land covered scrub jungle and

scattered brushwood. A large portion of the basin is bare of vegetation. The
surface soil has no great depth particularly as it is nears the city. The
country generally has a steep fall towards the river and floods are of short
duration.

On the average, three are freshes in the river for about 30 days in the year.
There are no deep pool, no marsh of flat country, and with the exception of
tanks no standing room for water; the physical conditions are nearly every
where favorable for a rapid run-off the rain water.

7. The average annual rainfall at Hyderabad and in the river catchment is

about 31 inches. The river basin abounds in small tanks, there being 788
tanks in a basin of 862 square miles, or roughly one tanks for every square
mile of catchment.

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 2) Flood
8. The flood occurred on Monday the 28th September reaching its maximum
height about an hour before noon. The weather conditions in the previous
week were normal. The monsoonrainfall since 1st Junehad been less than
normal. Saturday morning broke in gloom but there was little or no rain till
late in the afternoon. At about4 P. Ma sharp shower fell for half an hour
followed by a drizzled up to 6.30. After9 o Clock it rained again for
another half an hour. This was not a sharp Shower. Then at 11.30 a heavy
burst followed which continued well on to the morning By 8 A.M on
Sunday, a rainfall of over 6 inches had been registered.

9. Rain, now heavy, now light, with occasional stoppages continued

throughout Sunday. After midnight it developed into a cloud burst over an
extensive area There is no record of the intensity of the burst. But all
accounts agree that it was exceptionally were full and the ground
everywhere supersaturated. At this time, rain descended in sheets, flooded
the small tanks and overburdened their waste weirs.

10. As a result one tank after another gave way. The largest of these
intercepting tank are the Pal Yentair Rivervalley. The Parti reservoir lies
immediately below the Palmakul tank and is about22 miles above
Hyderabad (plate III). The heaviest rainfall was recorded at Shamshabad in
the vicinity of these two tanks. The fall gauged on Monday morning was
12.80 inches in 24 hours. Never since regular rainfall records began to be
maintained in this neighborhood had the total daily precipitation exceeded
half this amount. Every tank of any consequence in the entire valley gave
way. The Palmakul tank breached at half past four in the morning. By
5 o clock the Parti reservoir followed. These breaches let loose large
volumes of water into a river channel already full. The combined waters
rushed down the valley in an uncontrollable mass and hurled themselves
against the bridges. Building and rampart wall of the ill-fated city.

11. At 6 o clock on Sunday morning, there was about 4 feet of water in the
river. By 10 A.M the water level had risen to 20 feet. By 12noon water
flowed from bank to bank and began to enter houses in Kolsawadi. By 4
P.M water stood several feet over the kolsawadi road. The flood rose
slowly but not very perceptibly till about 8 o clock in the evening.

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 The first serious warning came at about 2 o clock on Monday morning.
water headed up behind Purna Pul(old Bridge) and breached the city
rampart wall on the west side at about 3 A.M. Between 9 in the previous
night and 6 in the morning the flood rose slowly ; the total rise may have
been less than 4 feet. By 6 A.M water had risen above the level of crown of
arch of Afzul Bridge and to a depth of 10 feet along the Kolsawadi road.

At about 7A.M a sudden dangerous rise began. Portions of the flood

separated themselves from the main stream and rushed down the inhabited
area along both banks of the river. By 9 A.M the bridges had all been
overtopped. By 10 o clock the imli-bun Island was completely under
water. By about 11 A.M the floods had reached its maximum height. From
about 700 feet between the normal river banks the water had spread over
the city up to a width of three-quarters of a mile. The greater depth of water
above the general bed level of the river in the city varied from 38 to 45
feet. Near Afzul Bridge in the centre of the city there was one sea of water
at this time. Barely a ripple seemed to mark the submerged bridge. On
account of abstraction and the great rush of water the crestof the stream at
the bridge rose several feet higher than along the adjoining banks.

12. By 11.30 the flood had done its worst. By 11.45 A.M. the water level was
noticed falling slowly near Afzul Bridge. During three-quarters of an hour
after that, there was a fall of about one foot. Between 2 and 3 P.M top of
the Afzul Bridge or what remained of the bridge, was visible. The fall after
2 P.M was much more rapid than the previous rise between the morning
hours of 8 and 11. Between 3 and 4 P.M the river had receded to its banks.
By 8 P.M water had gone down to the level of an ordinary high monsoon
flood.

13. The flood rose about 16 feet in less than3 hours.All the four bridges
were overlapped and their parapet walls carried away. The Purana Pul had
its approaches and cut open but suffered little damaged otherwise. Only the
bare piersand arches of the Musallam bridge were left but the approaches
did not suffer much injury.

The third or Afzul Bridge suffered most. The north end of the bridge as
well as the filling over the arch rings were washed away. At the lowest or
Chadarghat Bridge the flood damaged the wing walls at both ends and
carried away the approaches on the south side.

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14. The flood in its mad career uprooted the masonry flank wall of the weir
across the entrance to the north arm ofthe river round the imli-bun Island. It
washed away the surface soil over a portion of the island and obliterated
the head wall and a portion of the irrigation channel at the anicut. The city
rampart wall was wrecked in many places and deep hole and hollows
wereleft along the low banks on the chadarghat side.

15. The houses in kolsawadi along the river bank began to collapse on Sunday
night and continued falling till 10 o clock the following morning. People
whose escaped was cut-off, crowded into the higher and more substantial
houses and these again collapsed in turn.

On the city side the following localities suffered heavily:- Yadgar Hussain
Koonta, Saheb Ganj, Mahboob Shahi , Char Mahal, Ghasimeah
Bazaar,Babri-Allawa and Anjeer Bagh, Beyond Nawab salar Jungs
Baradari on the right bank a portion of the quarter known as Dar-ush-shafa
and nearly the whole area between the road and river were damazed down
to Oliphant Bridge. On the north bank, the localities affected were Ekbal
Gunj. Mustaid poora, Horse carwan,Dhool Pett, Kasar Ghat,Chudi Bazaar,
Dal mundi, Hanumanta poora,Nasir Jung Chilla,Kolsawadi,a portion of
Afzul Gunj, Akber Jah Bazaar, Oosaman Shahi, Muktiar poora and a
portion ofMahboob Poora .Again the low lying residential districts away
from the river also suffered and considerable quintiles of grain and
property were destroyed in the following districts:- Gowli Guda,
Mahaboob Gunj, Kishen Ganj, Abdulla Risala,Maharaj Ganj,SiddiUmber
Bazaar and Jam Bagh.

Jeagooda above Purana Pul and new.Kachigooda and Thuggi Jail below
Oliphant Bridge were washed away.

There was a great rush of water along the northern arm of the river round
Imli-bun. Several building within the Residency together with its
compound wall were destroyed, the assistant Residents Quarters on the
river edge and the escort lines were wrecked and many houses in the low
level areas of the Bazaar between the Residency and the output Bridge
were swept away.

16. Large areas of populous quarters were demolished in the space of three or
four hours. It is said that in Kolsawadi alone about 2000 people were
surrounded by the flood and all of them drowned or washed away. A
similar number met a like fate in Ghasimeah Bazaar, A large concourse of

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 people variously estimated at between 500 and 3,000 climbed the city wall
near petal Burj,

Some to watch the flood, other to seek refuse. The wall was surrounded
and all this mass of humanity was overtaken and swept away. A big tree
near Kolsawadi to which about 50 people clung for safety was undermined
and floated down the stream with its human burden.

A large house near the same locality with about 150 people stood out till
the flood rose high. It was eventually engulfed. Some people who got on to
the upper floors or roofs of a few solid substantial houses were saved. A
few more who claimed up the trees along the river banks and in the Imli-
bun Island also escaped with their lives. Water rose within 2 feet of the roof
of the Victoria Zenana Hospital but nearly all the woman patients were
saved together with the lady doctors who stood by them. More people were
killed by falling houses than by drowning.

17. When morning broke on Tuesday, the riverbed looked in places wider and
deeper and its bank were strewn with corpses and the wreckage of
buildings. Many dead bodies lay crushed under the debris of fallen houses
in mud and slime many feet deep.

The houses near the river edge had been swept bare and those at a distance
were in all stages of ruin. Most of the dwellings with mud wall had
collapsed and many substantial houses also which stood in the way of the
current. As stated by his Excellency the Minister, in a speech he made at a
Public meeting held after the disaster, the spacious houses that proudly
stood on both sides of the river and made Hyderabad a bride of cities had
all vanished by this cruel stroke of fate.

18. It is computed that a square mile of thickly populated area was divested on
the north bank and about half a square mile on the south bank. Nearly
19,000 houses were demolished and about 80,000 people, representing
roughly one-quarter of population of city were left homeless,

Property and house hold goods worth nearly three crores destroyed. Ten to
fifteen thousand lives are stated to have been lost. Many families were
annihilated and a large number people who escaped death were reduced to
utter destitution and distress. the panic among the survivors so complete
that when on the day following the flood, someone started a wicked rumor
that the Mir Alum tank had burst, crowds of people from the city including

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goeha woman and children were seen flying for their lives in the direction
of the high road to Golconda.

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 3) Previous Floods
19. The first flood in Hyderabad of which there is any record occurred in the
year 980 Hijri (1572 A.D) and it led to the constructions of Purana Pul, the
present old Bridge. Golconda 3 miles above the bridge on the left bank
of the river, was the seat of the Government at this time. The city of
Hyderabad was built about the year 1000 Hijri (1592 A.D) and since then
the local chronicles record the occurrence of eleven large floods.

In a great flood in 1041 Hijri (1631 A.D ) the old bridge was overtopped
and several populous quarters of the new city swept away. This was
regarded by the inhabitants of the time as the worst inundation on record.
Another of these floods which occurred in 1245 Hijri (1831 A.D) was also
very severe being attended with great loss of life. The Chadarghat Bridge
which was then under construction was seriously damaged.

The basement of a house near Badshahi Ashurkhana is reported to be the

level to which water rose on that occasion . The owner made a mark and
constructed the house with its plinth at the level of the flood. The plinth
level as now measured is about 9 feet below that of the flood of 1908.

The chronicles give barrowing tales of the losses and sufferings of the
people in these great floods showing that the last years flood, disastrous
through it was, did not stand by itself.

Quite recently, that is in 1908, a flood of moderate intensity occurred and

over 1,400 houses were destroyed in the following localities:- Ekbal Gang,
Karwan, Chilla, Kolsawadi, Akbar Jah Bazaar and Oosman Shahi on the
Chadaeghat side; and Saheb Ganj, Yadgar Hussain Khan Koonta, Mahabub
Shahi,Petla Burj, Char Mahal,Ghasimeah Baazar, Amin Bagh on the side of
the old city. His Highness the Nizam on that occasion directed that the
rebuilding of all houses near the river which were destroyed by the flood
should be discouraged as far as possible and that the owners should be
given lands for buildings at a safe distance from the river.

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 4) Causes
20. The extraordinary rainfall of 26th and 27th September 1908 was due to a
cyclonic storm one of those heavy storms which forms in the Bay of
Bengal and advance landward giving a burst of heavy rain over long
narrowest belt of country. The area traversed by the cyclone is shown on
Plate II.

The daily weather reports published by the Government of India recorded

on the 19thof September that a depression was forming in the Andaman
sea. The depression moved westward on the 20th ;on the 21st is developed
into a cyclone storm; on the 23rdthe storm in the Bay appeared to be
approachingthe east coast. On the 25th the cyclone storm in the Bay was
crossing the coast between Cocanada and Masulipatam; On the 26th the
storm was moving westward and had occasioned nearly general rain in
south Hyderabad among other places. On the 27th the storm had moved
into the Deccan and been the cause of heavy rain in the south-east
Hyderabad. On the 28th the cyclonestorm from the Bay had disappeared
but there was still an area of low pressure over Hyderabad that had caused
nearly general rain.

21. The rainfall recorded on 26th and 27th September at some of the
observation station in the catchment of the Musi was as under :-

September
Total
Gauge Station 26th 27th
Inches Inches Inches
Hyderabad 6.03 6.00 12.03
Shankarpally 4.85 9.89 14.74
Chandanvali 2.85 11.10 13.95
Shamshabad 6.10 12.80 18.90

The average rainfall at Hyderabad and Shamsabad is 7 or 8 inches in

September and 31to 33 inches for the whole year. The fall of two days at
Shamsabad exceeded half the average rainfall of the year and the fall
during 24 (27th September) amounted to half the average of the entire
monsoon rainfall.

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22. On an examination of all available rainfall records of this neighborhood, it
is noticed that the rainfall of 27th September has since 1890 was 5.99 inches
recorded on 5th October 1903 at Shamsabad.

Extreme falls of this character are usually limited to small areas of 5 or 10

square miles but in the present case it was remarkable for the wide extent
of its incidence.

The rainfall was unusually heavy for this region. The fall at Shamsabad has
not been exceeded to the December at least since rainfall records began.
But heavier falls have occurred occasionally in other part of India.

Within His Highness Dominions a fall of 7.34 inches occurred on 16th

August 1893 in the Elgandal District ; and a fall of 6.63 inches occurred on
the 12th September 1893 , 3.57 inches were registered in 35 minutes.

23. Records of the following extraordinary falls obtained through the courtesy
of the public works secretariats of the surrounding Provinces, namely ,
Bombay, Madras and Central Provinces, may be of interest in this
connections :-

At Ekruk tank in the Sholapur District of the Bombay Presidency, 10.21

inches wererecorded in 24 hours on 20th September 1872.

A rainfall of 8 inches was recorded at Nalknad, in the catchment of the

Kauveri River, On the July 1896 and 20.58 inches at Madras on 21st
October 1896. In connection with a flood which damaged the Cautonment
of Kampti on 21st September 1876.

It was reported that the rainfall at Betul in Chinaware (Central Provinces)

amounted in 24 hours to 19 inches and in 12 hours to 14 inches.The
greatest rainfall ever recorded in 24 hours is said to be that of 31.72 inches
at Nedunkani in Ceylon.

24. The dry weather flow in the river at Hyderabad may be taken at 5 to 30
cubicfeet per second. The ordinary annual flood attains a maximum of
about 80,000 cubic feet per second and the channel can carry up 100,000
cusecs without spill. Unusual floods exceeding 100,000 cubic feet per
second occur at long intervals and extraordinary floods like those under
report are of rare occurrence.

25. Appendix ii gives the calculated discharged of the river during the flood at
several points of its course together with the necessary explanatory notes.

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 The river banks have gentler slopes and the valley is wider through the city
than at its lower end where it, resembles a gorge.

The flood through the city being obstructed, the calculations based on flood
marks give excessive and improbable discharges. The flood of 28th
September is estimated approximately at 4,25,000 cubic feet per second
representing a run-off of inches per hour from a catchment of 862 square
miles. There is no record of a run-off such intensity fora catchment of this
size in any part of the world. The fall of rain was no doubt heavy, but had
the tanks not burst simultaneously, the flood would not have risen to the
great height it did.

26. In Appendix iii are given for comparison some of the highest known
discharges in the other Indian rivers. The smaller the area of a catchment
the greater usually is the intensity of flood run-off from it. If we consider
the intensity of the run-off, the nearest corresponding case in the table has
less than one-quarter of the catchment.

27. The maximum flood in the river Krishna at Bezwada occurred in 1903 and
it amounted to 1,041,670 cusecs,(i.e., cubic feet per second). The
catchment of that river above Bezwada is 97,057 square miles. While the
catchment is 113 times as large, the maximum flood was only 2 times
the size of the 1908 flood in the Musi.

28. There are 788 small tanks in the catchment of the river above Hyderabad
(Plate III). Their total capacity is roughly estimated at 3,572 million cubic
feet. Out of these, 221 with a normal storage capacity of 1,704 million
cubic feet were actually breached (Appendix i). The storage of this latter
including the rise over their ordinary full supply level wasprobably about
2,500million cubic feet. Nearly half the aggregate storage of all the tanks in
the catchment found its way into the river.

Plate III-A, Shows the remarkably close series of tanks in the Yentair basin.
Roughly speaking there are 5 tanks to every 3 square miles of catchment.

29. When the rain came in torrents on Sunday night, the ground had been
thoroughly soaked. The small tank intercepted what they could at first but
when the water came too fast for them they gave way one after another and
poured their accumulated water into the river.

The heaviest rain occurred at Shamshabad (paragraph 21) in the

neighborhood of two of the largest reservoir in the basin, namely the

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Palmakul and Parti. They had a combined storage of about 392 million
cubic feet up to full supply level and probably 800 million cubic feet
including the surplus age on the day of the breach. The bursting of these
reservoir made a very serious addition to the river flow and approved the
last straw on the back of the riparian camel.

The Parti reservoir which is 22 miles above Hyderabad Breached at above

5 A.M and the flood in Hyderabad reached its maximum height at about 11
A.Mshowing that the floods crest must have travelled at an average rate of
4 miles per hour. The effect of the breaches was doubtless felt to the city
much earlier but the maximum effect was delayed as the river had a wide
basin to fill on its way.

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 5.Preventive Measures
30. It was seen that the size of a great flood at Hyderabad depended not only
on the quantity of rainfall but also on the number of tanks that may burst
simultaneously. The liability of the tanks pouring large and uncertain
quantities of water into the river is a new factor to be reckoned with in the
solution of the problem of flood prevention in the present case.

31 The last flood at its maximum intensity was about four times the size that
the present river channel can carry without spill, If no preventive measures
are undertaken, It would be necessary to prohibit buildings along the river
for an average width of half a mile, or more. But the floods are so
infrequent that a prohibition of this sort is liable to be forgotten or
transgressed with the lapse of time. Even were such prohibition effective,
the loss to the people and Government due to the prohibition would be
many times the cost of protecting the area.

32. If houses are to be allowed to be rebuilt in the devastated area, they must
be protected from the destructive action of the flood. A diversion of the
river channel in part or whole is not practicable. The physical features are
not favorable and the cost would be prohibitive. For the same reason it is
not possible to enlarge the present channel either by deepening the bed or
raising the banks in order to carry a flood like that of last year. Higher
bridges would be necessary, the river would be too large for its ordinary
work and the approaches to the river would be rendered artificial and
inconvenient.

33. It is therefore proposed to enlarge the river channel so that, with a depth
nowhere exceeding 25 feet it may carry a flood, equivalent to a run-off of
inches per hour (or 1,39,000 cusecs ) from the entire catchment. Under
exceptional circumstances, an extreme flood of about 1,62,000 cusecs, may
be passed down without harm. To this end some of more prominent
obstructions in the river bed will be removed and the waterways of existing
bridges enlarged. Embankment will be provided on both banks to close all
spill outlets.

34. The maximum flood of last year was about 4,25,000 cusecs of which the
river channel enlarged as above will be able to carry 1,62,000 cusecs. It is
proposed to construct two storage reservoirs for storing the excess

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 discharge in a flood, one on each branch of the river, as distances of 6
and 8 miles respectively above the city (Plate III). The capacity of one of
them (the Easi Reservoir) for storing flood water will be 8,379 million
cubic feet and that of the other (the Musi Reservoir ) 5,360 million cubic
feet; total 13,739 million cubic feet. This is equivalent above Hyderabad.

The flood storage space in these reservoir will ordinarily be kept empty.
Any discharge in times of severe storm in excess of what the river channel
can carry will be held up in these reservoirs temporarily and allowed to
waste afterwards at a harmless rate.

35. The mean rainfall of the catchment on 28th September was 10.83 inches
during the 24 hours ended 8 A.M (Appendix vi).Assuming that 80 percent
of this found its way into the river, provision would have been necessary
for a run-off of 8.6 inches from the watershed. Deducting 6 inches dealt
with by the river channel in 21 hours, the storage space necessary would be
2.6 inches .The bursting of tank might have contributed about 2,500
million cubic feet or equivalent run-offof 1.25 inches ,making a total of
3.85 inches. The actual storage provision in the proposed reservoirs as
started already is 6.9 inches. This leaves a margin of over 3 inches of run-
off from the entire catchment.

36. The actual volume of water, which went down the river during the 24 hours
ending 6 P.M on 28th September 1908 is roughly computed at 19,500
million cubic feet (Appendix ii) equivalent to a rainfall run-off 9 inches
from the entire catchment. The river in the city enlarged as above, would
be able to deal with 6 inches (12,000 million cubic feet) in 24 hours leaving
3 inches to be stored in reservoirs. The proposed reservoirs (Paragraph
34) would be large enough to store 6.9 inches. There would thus be an
excess provision of 3.1 inches as a margin of safety. According to both
calculations there is sample margin of safety in the proposed reservoirs.

37. Furthermore, the reservoir dams are calculated to withstand water pressure
up to a height of about 5 feet above weir crest. This will enable the water
level in one or the other reservoir and on occasions in both, to be raised
about 3 feet more, adding an additional flood space of 2,073 and 2,381
million cubic feet in the Musi and Easi reservoirs respectively.

The discharge maintained in the river at Hyderabad will not ordinarily

exceed 1,39,000 cusecs. This includes a run-off of inch from the area
between the reservoirs and the city in which the flood will not be

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 controlled. As the uncontrolled area below the dam sites might give an
extra inches run-off per hour on occasions, while the reservoir sluices are
discharging the full quantity of 1,39,000 cusecs, a margin of about 23,000
cusecs should be allowed in the capacity of the river channel The
maximum capacity to be provided in the river channel through the city is
therefore taken at 1,62,000 cusecs.

38. The storage space provided is equal to about 25 percent of the monsoon
rainfall. An extremely wide margin of safety is important in the case of
reservoirs intended for protecting a congested city from floods and this is
provided for.

In a recent proposed for flood prevention in the Passaic valley near New
York, it was calculated that a storage space for a run-off of 4.5 inches from
the catchment would be sufficient to 1904 recommended 8 inches.

39. The two proposed reservoir will be made large enough to hold a permanent
storage of 6,650 million cubic feet for purposes of irrigation and for the
water supply of Hyderabad. The quantity is just what the catchments may
be expected to expected to yield in all years of ordinary or even low
rainfall.
The total capacity of the reservoirs will be as under :-

Flood Irrigation Total

Easi Reservoir 8,379 3,571 11,950
Musi Reservoir 5,360 3,679 8,459
million cubic feet 13,739 6,650 20,389
The permanent or irrigation storage on the Easi is equivalent to a run-off of
3 inches from the catchment or 12 percent of the monsoon rainfall. This
estimate is conservative but it most be noted that the catchment area is
already intercepted by many small irrigation tanks. On the other hand, in
the main Musi Reservoir catchment where the tanks are comparative few,
the irrigation storage allowed amount to 3,571 million cubic feet, that is, a
run-off of 5 inches or 18.4 percent of the monsoon rainfall.

40. The prevention of floods by means of controlling reservoirs is rendered

possible in this case because of the limited extent of the catchment and the
existence of suitable reservoir sites in the valley. In the word of Sir Vernon
Harcourt, the author of River and Canals, Reservoirs are not likely to
become economically applicable for dealing with floods until their cost can
be reduced by favorable local conditions and by their being also employed

Page 18 of 38
 for supplying irrigation canals and for the supply of water to towns.
Another writer in the North American Review considers that Prevention
of floods and irrigation are twin ideas. They should be developed together.
Small storages are expensive. The larger a storage reservoir is made the
cheaper will be the cost of the water stored. The storage is rendered cheap
for both by combining the two objects.

41. The Musi river valley is eminently suited for the development of irrigation.
It is more largely used for irrigation purposes than any other river in the
Hyderabad dominions. There are 17 sarf-i-khas and Jagir anicut on the
river below Hyderabad and below these again, two Government canals,
namely, the upper and lower Rajakalwa which are the finest works of their
kind in the Nalgonda District. They are said to have a course of 80 and 60
miles respectively between the Musi River from which they take off to the
Pongal tank NEAR Nalgonda Town in which they end. These anicut
channels cross the watershed of the Musi and discharge their surplus water
into the River.

Mr. Rosoe Allen, the late chief Engineer for irrigation, has placed the
following opinion on record:- Much the best result in Nalgonda are
obtained where the tank is connected by mean of a channel with one of the
larger rivers.

The largest river in the Hyderabad dominions which is much used for
purposes of filling tanks is the Musi River.. The smaller
rivers cannot be depended on to run a good supply.

In another place, the same office has started as follows:- The restoration
of so many supply channels from the Musi River, the lower Rajkalwa, the
Shaligowrarum and others, brings out how very important a source for
irrigation for Nalgonda District the Musi River is; and it further becomes
very essential indeed that , in so far as possible, its water should be
conserved for irrigation purposes. It will be seen by making provision for
irrigation in the new reservoir we are only supplying a long-felt want.

42. Irrigation to be complete requires both reservoirs for storing the and canals
for its distributions. In the present scheme provision has however been
made only for the former. By opening the reservoir sluices water can be run
into the river and utilized on the numerous anicuts as well as the lower
Rajkalwa canal mentioned above. This last canal has a carrying capacity of
395 cubic feet per second at the head. As the existing works are greatly in

Page 19 of 38
need of storage, there is no immediate necessity for providing new
irrigation canals, although it is important to set enquiries on foot in this
respect at early date. For the next ten years at all events new canals may
not be necessary. Enquiries may show that an additional sum of Rs.10 or 15
lakhs should be expended to utilize the storage fully. It is not necessary to
consider this expenditure inenquiry or experience that the existing canals
are inadequate for the purpose. Government would be readily willing to
incur the additional outlay whenever need because it would be highly
remunerative.

In the recent years in the Bombay Residency two large reservoirs projects
were sanctioned under similar circumstances, that is, without a subsidiary
canal project accompanying. The question of the investigations necessary
for developing the canals will be referred to the sequel (Paragraph 60).

Page 20 of 38
 5. River Improvement Schemes
44. Of the two works contemplated for protecting the city from floods, the one
which should be carried out immediately is the banking-in of the river and
the improvement of its bed. This improvement has a two fold object. One is
to remove obstructions so as to make the present river channel carry the
largest discharge it is capable of without any great or expensive alteration ;
and the other is to restore the river banks which were damaged and the
roads alongside them which were obliterated, in the late flood. It is also
proposed it construct boulevards and roads either along, or at some
distancegenerally parallel to the river banks.

45. The obstructions to the waterway at present are :-

1) Bridges,
2) The Imli-bun anicut and

3) Uneven places and projections in the bed and banks as well as near
bridge approaches.

46. There are four bridges in a length of 2 miles of the river reach through
the city. The two in the higher reaches did not suffer much damage in the
late flood but portion of the two lower were washed away. The former were
restored within a fortnight after the flood but the latter have been carried
out at an outlay of about Rs.7 lakhs. The public works department have
already enlarged the waterway of the Afzul Bridge from 10,412 square feet
to 14,700 square feet and of the Oliphant Bridge from 10,600 square feet to
12,585 square feet.

The Purana Pul and Musaliam Bridges have a waterway of 7,318 and 9,992
square feet respectively. It is now proposed to add new arches and extend
the bridges in the direction of the north or Chadarghat bank. The total
waterway after these improvements are made will be 10,500 and 13,595
square feet respectively(vide table in Appendix i).

It might have been advisable to remove and rebuild the Purana Pul there
are historical associations much prized locally which render its demolition
undesirable.

Page 21 of 38
47. It is proposed to lower the high anicut at Imli-bun and to which the river
channel along the right bank of the river, immediately above the anicut and
to close the north arm of the river round the island.

The construction of the anicut has been responsible for frequent overflows;
and the formation of a new channel and an island. In high floods the river
tanks a set the direction of Chadarghat and a portion of the bank is being
gradually eaten away. The enlarged section which will be given to the river
on the south arm would be more than sufficient for future flood after the
controlling reservoirs are constructed.

If the main object of the scheme is to make the river carry as large a
quantity of water as is possible, it may be asked why it is proposed to close
one of the arms of the river. This is done because the enlarge river channel
above the anicut will be quite wide enough for the future requirements of
the floods and the land lying unused will be reclaimed. In reality there is no
object in having a greater waterway for the river at Imli-bun than is
actually provided in the upper reaches. On sanitary and other grounds, it is
highly undesirable to have two river channels.One of which is more or less
always dry in the proximity to a crowed quarter of the city.

48. The projections which deflect the current along the right bank of the river
will be removed wherever they are very prominent. It is also proposed to
remove small islands, rock obstructions, high bank which hinder the
waterway of the bridges, & etc. The object of all this is to regularize the
river section as far as may be possible without going to any great expense.

49. The flood level required under the new proposals above the general bed of
the river in its course through the city, varies from 23 to 26 feet. The flood
embankments on the both sides will be rampart wall they will be raised
only to a level of 3 feet above that level.

For the greater part of their length these embankment will be constructed in
combination with boulevards. On the south side the proposed boulevard
between Purana Pul and Afzal Bridge will follow the course of the existing
road widened where necessary between Afzul Bridge and Chadarghat, the
roadway will follow the river bank. These roads will be very useful also for
accommodating the feature intercepting sewers of the drainages system.

Between Purana Pul and Afzul Bridge on the north bank of the river, the
boulevard will follow the river bank as close to its edge as the graves,

Page 22 of 38
 mutts, mosques &c will permit and beyond the latter bridge it will be
continued across the north arm of the river already referred to and thence
over the Imli-bun to the west corner of the Residency.

A low level road will be taken from below Afzul Bridge, right round the
portion of river bed to be reclaimed and joined on to the Residency road.

50. All existing storm water drains will be passed under the new roads and
embankments by means of suitable culverts. The river side ends of the
culverts will be provided with back flip valves which open only in the
direction of the river. The storm water may always pass from the city into
the river but the flood water of the river will not be allowed to enter and
damage inhabited areas.

51. In laying out the boulevards every interest has been carefully considered
and an alignment chosen which will cause the minimum of injury to private
interests. The prohibited area is brought down to a narrow belt of the
smallest dimensions possible.

52. Under the proposals for river improvements, the Residency building and
Bazaars will be completely protected from floods. As the north arm of the
river will be cut-off by a new boulevard, the Residency will no longer be
subject to a flank attack from the river.

It is hoped that the Residency authorities will consent to carry the

boulevard over the short length of river bank in their grounds to join it with
the Oliphant Bridge.

Page 23 of 38
 7. Artistic and Sanitary Improvement along River Front
53. In carrying out improvements on such a large scale it would not be right to
ignore the artistic, economic and sanitary considerations associated with
the proposals.

In the next few paragraphs attention is drawn to some of the more

important of these consideration are not to be treated as an essential
features of the scheme.

54. The open space devastated by the flood between by the flood between the
new road and rampart wall on the south bank may be reserved for large
public buildings (Plate V).

Government are already contemplating the constructions of large offices

and other public building in the space between Purana Pul and Afzul
Bridge. Similarly it is suggested that a strip of land about 150 feet wide
alone the boulevard on the north bank of the river be reserved for some
distance on either side of Afzul Bridge for the construction of clean,
substantial masonry buildings and high class shops. No houses but with
approved frontage and coasting, say not less than Rs.10,000 should be
allowed to be built.

The land required for such houses will be only about 30 acres out of a total
of over 1,000 acres submerged by the late flood, but the artistic and
hygienic valu of the measure would be incalculable. If good buildings with
suitable frontage are provide in the manner suggested, the whole of the
locality will rise in value and importance.

55. The owners of the land should be encouraged to built such houses if they
can, but people who cannot afford to build expensive houses and who
would be displaced might be provided with suitable building plots in the
nearest open spaces or new settlements. They should not only have land
given in exchange but some suitable grants to enable them to build. All this
money will comes out of the sale proceeds of the land reserved for
substantial buildings. What is required is a proper organization and an
efficient staff working under strict control to regard for the measure with
vigour and discretion and with a tender regard for the convenience of the
people displaced and a feeling of responsibility for the future good of the

Page 24 of 38
 city. A well throughout system and continuity of policy are essential for the
success of the measure.

56. A big thoroughfare like the one proposed should not be lined by squalid
insanitary dwelling if it is to be healthy and attractive. If mud huts and poor
houses are allowed, their frontages will not be kept clean. Large shops and
houses with small front gardens will make the boulevard appear to
advantage and give dignity to the river front. This suggestion is made in the
interests of both rich and poor alike. The boulevards will be the lungs of
the city. The poor who will largely use the footpaths and the roads will
benefited as much as the rich, by clean, shaded, well-kept roadways and
graceful houses and surroundings. The health and the pleasure, which all
classes who will use the roads will drive will be much enhanced.

It is usual to take advantage of the devastation by a flood to rebuilt and

improve the area affected on a proper building plane. It is easy to do so
now because the flood has paved the way for improvements and there are
so few houses left to be pulled down. In Bombay and other cities expensive
buildings have had to be taken down to carry out improvements. Here the
opportunity has come of itself. It is of the greatest importance that
Government should not miss this opportunity to render the river front
healthy and picturesque.

57. Steps should also be taken to present the burial and burning of dead bodies
in the river bed within the city limits and in order to reduce inconvenience
to the people to provide suitable sites for crematories &c,. The open
slaughter yard should be removed from the river banks and suitable houses
considered for them. The river bank should be watched by the Municipal
staff in the interests of sanitation.

When the population was all confined to the old city walls. There was no
objection to allow the people to bury or burn the dead as they liked along
the river; but with increase of population the condition have changed. The
river today stand in the middle of a crowded population and its present
insanitary condition is a menace to the health of the city.

58. The river front might be improved also in other ways. The space reclaimed
from the river to the north of Imli-bun Island may be converted into a park.
A beginning may be made by constructing a few footpaths and walks
planting a few trees and maintaining a couple of watchman to keep the

Page 25 of 38
 place clean. It may be converted into a regular park at some future time
when funds may be available.

Some small open spaces and gardens and play grounds may be provided
between the boulevards and the river as shown on Plate VIII.

No scenery will look picturesque without a gleam of water. To this end,

water should be penned up by excavations and by mean of low weirs along
the river bed but without interfacing in any way with the flood discharging
capacity of the river channel.

59. The suggestions in the last six paragraphs have been made for the future
good of the city as a whole. I have indicated the practice usually followed
in the modern cities of similar size and importance when large congested
areas are cleared by flood or fire. If His Highness Government approve of
the suggestions and wish to carry them out, estimate may be prepared and
additional funds allotted for them; but if considered premature and
additional funds allotted for them; but if considered premature they may be
left out of consideration for the present.

Page 26 of 38
 8. Minor Proposals and Suggestions
60. The main proposals for flood prevention and the subsidiary ones for
irrigation storage have been explained already. There are other proposals
which serve the same objects in a more or less minor degree and in regard
to which some action is necessary. They are not urgent but they are
enumerated here with a view to place a connected view of the whole case
on record. It would facilitate practical action if these matters are death with
separately and kept distinct from the more urgent construction proposals
for which sanction is asked for in the sequel.

(1)Restoration of irrigation tanks

The tank breached in the late flood should be examined by an expert

engineering staff with a view to take steps to provide sufficient waterway
over each waste weir. Every tank in the catchment has been visited by a
subordinate member of the flood investigation staff and the information
collected is abstracted in Appendix I. In the case of private
owners,legislation may be needed to compel them to execute repair and
extensions of waste weirs, both in their own as well as in the interests of
public safety. The question of making some of the suitable situated tanks to
serve as stop tanks would also need to be examined by the same staff. The
danger of floods from tank bursts will however not be great till the majority
of the tanks disabled by the late flood are restored. On receipt of a full
report from the officer appointed to investigates the question, Government
may take such action as may seem reasonable.

(2)Improving waste weir of Hussain Sagar Tank

The behavior of the Hussain sagar tank, which is within the Municipal
limits, at the time of the extraordinary rainfall of 27-28 th September 1908
shows that its waste weir also requires extension in order to place the tank
in a condition of safety. The present stop planks over the weir are a source
of danger and they should be replaced at least in part by suitable automatic
gates.

(3) Surveys for additional canals and investigations for extension of

irrigation

Page 27 of 38
As stated in a paragraph 42 above the proposals now submitted make
provision only for the storage of water. It is important that definite
proposals should be prepared for utilizing that storage.

Is water to be given to the numerous anicuts supplying sarf-i-khas and Jagir

lands below the reservoirs or is it to be restrictedto Government cannels
only? In the latter case are the existing canals sufficient to utilize the entire
storage? If water is to be supplied to sarf-i-khas and Jagir lands would it be
possible to introduce rules and organization to charge a water rate strictly
according to service rendered as is done under similar circumstances is
British territory ? Can a separate water rate be charged for all private
irrigation in excess of What is carried on at present ?These mattes demand
a full enquiry. The surveys have to be entrusted to an experienced Engineer
officer. He may be assisted by a competent Revenue officer in investigating
the feasibility of extending irrigation to sarf-i-khas and Jagir lands.

Steps will have to be taken to stop unauthorized extension of irrigation to

enable a water rate to be charged for all irrigation carried on from the way
from the new supply.

It is difficult to estimate what the cost of the additional canals &c will be
without detailed enquiry and survey. This work will be best done under the
supervision of the irrigation Department.

(4) Measuring the river discharge

In the present investigations some different was experienced for want of

accessible data regarding rainfall and discharge of the Mus. Arrangements
should be made for gauging the discharges in the river both at the sites of
the proposed two reservoir as well as at Hyderabad throughout the actual
rainfall and the results printed annually and placed on record.

Arrangement should also be made for bringing a competent staff together

at short notice for observing and floods of an exceptional character.

(5)Fixing Benchmarks

Permanent benchmarks should at once be constructed in four or five place

on both banks of the river, chiefly at the bridge to mark the last great flood.

(6) Communication with reservoirs

Page 28 of 38
Now road will be constructed from the city to the proposed reservoirs.
There should be telephone communication established between the
reservoirs and the city for use during heavy storm and floods. An officer of
the rank of an Executive Engineer should be in close touch with the
reservoir works and be personally responsible for flood regulation during
the monsoon months. The cost of these communications will be included in
the project for reservoirs.

(7) Plantations in the Musi Catchment

It is everywhere recognized that floods are increased by clearing forests

and diminished by their extension. No forest however thick would be a
complete protection against floods like those of last year bur it will be of
some help in moderating floods. It will also give the country a much
needed supply of timber and fuel. Irrigation tanks become rapidly silted
and eventually fall into disuse in districts which are bare and open.
Countries like Italy are at present spending enormous sums of money for
the restoration of woodland and forests as a means of flood moderation and
preservation of the surface soil.

Steps should be taken to extend forests and plantations within the Musi
catchment above Hyderabad after making a preliminary enquiry as to how
far such extension is economically feasible and desirable.

Page 29 of 38
 9. Cost of Schemes, Land Acquisition
61. As stated already the project for the reservoirs will be submitted separately.
The two reservoirs are expected to cost Rs.101 Lakhs of which roughly 45
Lakhs will be the share of irrigation storage.

The total cost of the proposals by main head will be as under :-

Flood Prevention Works:-

River Improvements 18 Lakhs

Reservoir (part cost ) 56 Lakhs
Total 74 Lakhs
Irrigation works:-

Reservoir (part cost ) 45Lakhs

Grand Total 119 Lakhs
62. The cost of the river improvements scheme which is now ready is
estimated in detail as follows:-

SNo. Description Amounts

1 Enlarging bridges 287259.00
Enlarging and improving river
2 290138.00
channel
3 Protective embankments &c 20236.00
Boulevards and road including those
4 571351.00
which serve as embankments
5 Cross drainage works 147811.00
6 Minor Improvements 60000.00
7 Land compensation 286573.00
8 Establishment and tools and plant 130796.00
Total 1794164.00
Or, say Rs.18 Lakhs

63. Thecost ofland required for flood storage in the reservoir is unimportant.
Irrigation storage on the other hand will submerge land every year and put
a large amount of cultivated land out of commission. The reservoirs will be
constantly in use for purposes of irrigation while the flood storage space is
merely an insurance against a likely disaster.

Page 30 of 38
 Having regard to the demand for irrigation that exists in this valley there
can be no doubt that the outlay of Rs.45 lakhs on irrigation storage will
prove highly remunerative. A return of 6 to 7 percent may be safely looked
for.

64. Works of such magnitude cannot be carried out without corresponding

scarifies. If the land required for public improvements of this character
cannot be obtained on payments will not be feasible.

Land required for all the new works may be considered under two heads:-

(1) Area submerged by the reservoirs

(2) Land and properties required in the city for the proposed roads along
the river front.

Taking the former first the scarifies involved in the construction of the two
reservoir are as under:-

Area in Villages Population

Acres submerged displaced
Easi Reservoir 4,415 9 2,404
Musi Reservoir 4,413 5 2,260
Total 8,828 14 4,664

Through the courtesy of the revenue Department, a rough estimate of the

villages and properties liable to be submerged has been obtained. The total
amount of compensation is estimated at Rs.7,54,000. If Government land is
given in exchange to the Sarf-i-khas Department or the private proprietors
concerned, a book debit of its actual value may be made to the capital
account of the works.

It must be remarked that except a very small area required for construction
purposes, these villages and land have not to be acquired for 5 or 6 years to
come that is until the dams are constructed and the reservoirs filled. In the
meanwhile there is ample time to consider how the people displaced should
be provided for

65. The total area of land required for new roads within the city and the
amount of compensation to paid for it are as under :-

Page 31 of 38
 Total area Probable area for Approximate
Sqr.yds which Amount of
compensation has compensation
to be paid. Sqr.yds. Rs.
Land and buildings 272344 141678 286573
required for the proposed
boulevards and
embankments
Area in which buildings 240164 172047 227471
should be prohibited in
future
Area reserved for public 252823 128330 82462
buildings along south
bank of the river
Total 765331 442055 596506
The cost of the first item only is concluded in the estimated of the river
improvement scheme.

Every Endeavour has been made to reduce the area of land in which
buildings are to be prohibited and to minimize the loss to private
individuals by these works.

66. A strip of land will be required along the river edge on the south bank for
locating a boulevard and an underground sewer between Afzul Bridge and
Oliphant Bridge. The boulevard will haveto pass along the boundary of
Nawab Salar Jungs Baradari. While the Nawabs garden along the river
bank will property will acquire a frontage along a wide promenade which
will add to its value. As this is an essential part of the improvementscheme
it is hoped in view of the important public purpose it will serve the Nawab
will co-operate with Government and come forward to part the land on
receipt of liberal compensation.

Page 32 of 38
 10. Summary of proposals- Conclusions
67. The principal data and information of a technical character collected in the
course of these investigations are abstracted in the Appendices for
reference. The results may be briefly summarized as follow :-

The flood of 28th September 1908 was a memorable one being the highest
and most disastrous that has occurred in Hyderabad for at least there
quarters of a century. There is no record of a run-off of inch per hour
from any other catchment of this size.

The food was caused by the bursting of numerous irrigation tanks

following an usually heavy precipitation over an extensive area.

Flood of similar or lesser intensity have occurred at Hyderabad in the past.

Local chronicles record the occurrence 12 such floods since the city came
into existence over 300 years ago.

Either dwellings must be prohibited within the city area liable to floods or
the area must be protected.

Prohibition is undesirable it is doubtful if it could be effectively enforced.

As the city population along the river bank is on the increase the danger to
life and property is great and the necessity of preventive measures urgent.

Immunity from flood destruction must come, if it ever comes from the
construction of flood catchment reservoirs in the basin above. It is
proposed to construct two such reservoirs on the two branches of the river a
few miles above the city.

It also proposed to improve the river channel through the city by

straightening and removing obstructions. And constructing protective
embankment or embankment combined with roads along the river front.

In large interests of the state it is proposed to combined irrigation with

flood prevention and to make the reservoirs large enough to store all the
water ordinary available for developing irrigation in the valley.

Page 33 of 38
 Other minor and subsidiary proposals are indicated for consider on and
separate action by Government.

The river improvements in the city are estimated to cost Rs.18 lakhs and
the reservoirs Rs.56 Lakhs for flood prevention and Rs.45 lakhs for
irrigation.

Irrigation may be treated as a commercial service. If Government choose to

do so. The outlay on it will prove directly remunerative and will be the
mean of installing a great famine protective work.

The flood prevention measures when carried out may be reasonably

expected to lead to an increase in the value of land (about 5 million square
yards) within the city. Amounting to over 100 lakhs.considering that the
expenditure on relief and remedial measures alone was over 40 lakhs. The
proposed outlay of Rs.74 lakhs for permanent works of flood prevention
cannot be considered expensive.

68. It is therefore recommended the-

(1) The necessary outlay of 74 lakhs for flood prevention works as well as
the subsidiary outlay of Rs.45 lakhs for irrigation storage (total Rs.119
lakhs 0be sanctioned.

(2) Arrangement be made for the execution of these works by sanctioning

an allotment of about Rs.20 lakhs per annum for the next six year:

(3) The construction of houses between the proposed flood embankments

or roads and the river be prohibited after compensating the owners
where necessary;

(4) The Municipality be instructed to set apart a sum of Rs.25,000

annually for the next six year for the artistic and sanitary
improvements along the river front suggested in paragraph 53 to 59.

(5) Sanction be accorded to the acquisition of land from private parties on

payment of liberal compensation and an officer be appointed to make
all the arrangements and take all steps necessary for the purpose and

(6) As regards Minor proposals and Suggestions(paragraph 60) a sum

of Rs.2 lakhs be allowed annually from the general Budget for the
next six year to be expended on the investigations and improvements
suggested under the supervision of the Irrigation Department or

Page 34 of 38
 officers specially selected for the purpose and that the Forest
Department be required to consider the question of extending
plantations and forests in the area concerned.

69. The chief aim of the proposals has been to provide the most efficient and
economical remedy that the circumstances of this locality and valley admit
of. The proposed works involve no difficulties of engineering or
construction. That they will be successful and relieve the city of Hyderabad
from all further apprehensions of far as the floods are concerned there
cannot will be obtained of the river at all times and Irrigation will be
started on a scale before attempted in the state. Thework and famine and
will remain an abiding landmark of His Highness administration.

Page 35 of 38
 11. Acknowledgments
70. The surveys went on slowly at first for a proper staff but many of the
difficulties were removed by the liberal sanctions given by His Highness
the Nizam and by the loan of member of the public works establishment.

I am grateful to His Excellency the Minister, Maha Raja Sir Kishen

pershad Bahadur, Yamin-us-Sultanath,K,C.I.E., and Mr.G.Casson
Walker,C.S.I .,Assistant Minister, Finance for affording me every facility
and encouragement necessary for my work.

The work has been materially assisted by the advise of and personal
interest taken by Nawab Faridoon Jung, Bahadur C.I.E., Political and
private Secretary and Mr.A. Hydari, Financial Secretary to Government.

Mr. Fazil Mooraj,Secretary to Government Public Works Department has

with the cordial concurrence of the Minister for Public Works co-operated
and actively assisted in every way in his power; his help has been unstined.

The estimate of compensation for land required for the reservoirs &c were
furnished by Mr.Abdur Raheem, the Revenue Secretary and those for land
within the city by Major E.St.Wake Special Relief Commissioner. The
latter officer also co-operated in fixing the alignment of the boulevards Mr.
A.H.Stevens, Municipal Commissioner gave willing help on several
occasions. My acknowledgments are also due to many other gentleman
both officials. My acknowledgments are also due to many other gentleman
both officials and private citizens for information furnished and courtesies
extended in the course of these investigations.

71. The surveys were commenced by Mr.Perram, M.INST,C.E., late

Superintending Engineer, a few weeks before that officer retired from the
State Service. They were afterwards entrusted to Mr. M. Ahmed Ali F.C.H
Assistant Superintending Engineer. I took up the duties of Consulting
Engineer on the 15th April but Mr. M. Ahmed Ali was appointed to carry
on surveys and collect data from the month of January previous in
anticipation of my arrival. He selected the reservoir sites finally approved
and assisted in making all the calculations and in controlling the staff. His
professional abilities, local knowledge and admirable judgment have been
of the highest value to me in working out the proposals embodied here the

Page 36 of 38
river important scheme now ready and the separate schemes for reservoirs
and drainage still under preparation.

Mr. A.C. McLeish, Assistant Engineer, worked with untiring energy and
zeal and ably second Mr. Ahmed Alis efforts.

M. VISVESVARAYA, B.A.,L.C.E.,M. INST. C.E.,

(Superintending Engineer, P.W.D., Bombay)
SPECIAL CONSULTING ENGINEER.
HYDERABAD (DECCAN)
1st October 1909.

Page 37 of 38