After 20 years, SCB puts culvert plan into action

Hyderabad: Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) is planning to build a culvert on a open nala that separates a few colonies in Viman Nagar near Balamrai. 

The authorities have decided to take up this project which has been put in cold storage since the last 20 years. The dilly-dallying resulted in the budget increasing to Rs 1.75 crore. Cantonment officials said that they are planning a 20 to 30 feet culvert while the earlier proposal was a 12 feet culvert. 

The Cantonment officials are proposing this bridge to ease the traffic problems in internal roads colonies like Laxmi Gunti Colony, P and T colony, Avanti Colony, Shiva Nagar, Arjun Nagar, Indiramma Nagar, etc and to provide alternate approach road to the main road for the residents of Margadarshi Colony.

It may be noted that SCB mooted this project for the first time in 1997 with a budget of Rs 10 lakh. With board members and officials giving priority to other projects,  the culvert project took a backseat.

Muppidi Gopal, former director of Andhra Pradesh Technology Services and a resident of the area, stated that he took up the issue 20 years ago but officials and board members did not pursue it seriously.

Sada Kesava Reddy, ward-2 member, said that this culvert plan came into forefront between 2008 and 2010. 

Even the general officer commanding in chief (GOC-in-C), Southern Command, Pune, gave his nod for the project. However, it proved futile because SCB did not utilise the opportunity.

Seven years later, the top brass decided to revisit the culvert project in view of the increase in vehicular traffic in internal colonies. However, the budget held them back.