Hyderabad’s duct problem
Most apartment buildings in Hyderabad, from four-storey builder flats in Kukatpally to twenty-storey towers in Kondapur, have open shafts between flats. Pipes, AC drains and ventilators open into them. In summer the shaft is shaded; in the monsoon it is dry. For pigeons, it is ideal.
Residents notice:
- cooing and wing noise early in the morning
- feathers and droppings on bathroom window sills
- a smell that gets worse in humid weather
- blocked exhaust fans and ventilators
Two ways to net a duct
Across the top of the shaft. One net at terrace level keeps birds out of the whole duct. Lower open sides are netted at the same time. This needs the association’s agreement.
At your flat. A net across your ventilator, window or the open side of the duct beside your flat. Useful when a building-wide decision is not possible.
Materials
UV-stabilised HDPE or nylon bird net (50 mm mesh, smaller if sparrows use the shaft), a tensioned border and stainless-steel hooks. Ducts stay damp around pipes, so plain iron would rust quickly. An access panel is always included where pipes need servicing.
Safe working
Duct work is at height. We plan access from the terrace or a window before starting and only work where the fixing points can be reached safely.
For associations
If several flats are affected, a single building-wide job is usually the most effective and economical option. Photos of nests on different floors help the committee decide.
There’s more on our duct area safety nets page, plus a guide on why apartment duct areas need nets.
Duct types across Hyderabad
Tall towers. In the western suburbs, ducts may run twenty or more floors. Netting the top is far more effective than netting each flat, and it is usually arranged through the association as one job.
Builder flats. In Kukatpally, Nizampet and Manikonda, ducts are narrow gaps between bathrooms of neighbouring flats, sometimes shared between two buildings. Netting at your own opening is often the practical choice.
Older buildings. In central areas, light wells and old ducts may have been used by pigeons for years. We clear nests at the fixing points and close the opening, leaving access for repairs.
Whichever type you have, we leave an access panel, because a net that has to be cut for every plumbing job will not last.
