SP Road work not yet complete, drivers hit

Hyderabad: Commuters using the Secunderabad-Begumpet stretch might have to wait longer for getting relief from the tension caused by the road diversion as the 45-day nala work schedule has been extended by 20 days beyond the Monday deadline. This follows a plea made during a meeting of officials from Mahankali traffic police, GHMC and other departments. Consequently, June 25 has been fixed as the revised date for completion of the work.

“In fact, it could have been accomplished even before the original 45-day deadline had the planning and its execution been meticulous. It becomes so hard to travel to work on this road. The alternative Paradise-Tadbund-Bowenpally road towards Hitec via Kukatpally is ridden with its own traffic congestion problems,” said Keethi Rao from Bhoiguda, who works for an MNC in Madhapur.

Arjun Yadav, a resident of Mettuguda, said that his shift starts in the afternoon and the summer sun makes it terrible to travel through Sindhi Colony.

“It is so annoying. What normally takes me about 40 minutes to reach my office, is now taking more than an hour because of the seemingly never ending nala work. Due to the diversion, all vehicles get cluttered on the narrow Wesley College lane. Traffic comes to a standstill for up to 10 minutes during peak hours,” he said.

Meanwhile, netizens have been recounting their woes on Twitter.

A user Tweeted on May 8 saying, “I am trying to put this #AskKTR hashtag to ask KTR the progress on the famous Paradise to Begumpet Nala works. As per records, today is day 19th out of 45 days project and going by the look, not even 10% is completed. When will normal traffic resume on this important road?” (sic)

Another user tagged traffic officials and the office of municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao with “Due to Patny Nala works this part of minister road made one way, see wrong side driving by Two wheelers,pl post one constable at Rasoolpura to stop entry, make road SAFE @shoramgopalpet fine them.” (sic)

Earlier on April 22, the Hyderabad traffic police had issued an advisory stating “Heavy vehicles, including RTC buses, will not be permitted from CTO junction to Begumpet/Ameerpet. The nala work would continue on the Begumpet - CTO junction stretch at Rasoolpura and on Ministers Road for the next 45 days.”

“As colony roads cannot cater to huge volumes of traffic, we have also diverted RTC buses and heavy vehicles. They will not be permitted to ply from CTO junction to Begumpet/Ameerpet side,” joint commissioner of police (traffic) A.V. Ranganath said.