Hyderabad: Slow Metro work angers traders

Hyderabad: Traders and businessmen at Badi Chowdi are upset that the Metro rail work in the area is progressing at snail’s pace.

The dug-up roads have not been re-laid resulting in chaos not only for the traffic but also a decline in the customers as access to the shops has been blocked. Mr Govind Rathi, member of the Sultan Bazaar Traders Association, said, “Around 130 shops gave consent but so far only 40 have been acquired and just two of them demolished. The demolition was carried out without enclosing the area leading to dust all over the market. The contractors and the officers at the ground level are not willing to understand that it is a residential-cum-commercial area and this type of work is going to harm the people around. The other traders in the area are suffering because of this method of working when there is technology and also clauses in the contract to carry it out according to certain standards.”

To add to their woes, there is no relief as the government officers in land acquisition department state that remaining 38 which have been acquired will be demolished on piece meal basis. Mr Jignesh Mehta, a businessman said, “There is no timeline set by the department. When they wanted our properties they came hounding on us and now they are taking their own sweet time to acquire the property, pay the amount and demolish it. In this whole process, there are so many hidden costs and delays due to which the locals are now suffering as the roads are dug up, there is no place to walk and also the movement of traffic is haywire.”

Another trader on condition of anonymity explained, “There is a lot of delay on the part of the Hyderabad collector who is not responding quickly. The association has also made a representation to the collector to acquire the properties soon and also demolish it as one unit so that the damage in terms of high dust levels and also noise due to the breaking is reduced. The response was very poor.”

Due to the electrical cabling work of the metro rail, the street lights near Badi Chowdi have not been working and the people state that with bad roads it is becoming dangerous to commute at night.

The angry traders have been time and again representing to the Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities that there must be a time frame set and work completed as it is a commercial zone and they are suffering losses due to the metro rail works.

Jain mandir Hawkers threaten protests
A total of 200 hawkers near the lane of Jain mandir at Sultan Bazaar have threatened a stir as they are being evicted and not allowed to sit in the temporary make shift area.  

The hawkers were moved to that area as they are to be rehabilitated below the via duct near Sultan Bazaar and Badi Chowdi.  Mohammed Munnawar, a hawker explained, “Metro rail officers have moved us into this lane as they stated that we will be rehabilitated once the metro work is done. Till that time, we must be allowed to do our business.”

There is regular eviction being carried out as residents are complaining or there is problem of traffic in the area. But hawkers claim they have no other place and are being pushed.