Traffic diversion in IT corridor irks motorists

Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police have closed several road junctions in the IT corridor and are diverting traffic to U-turns, which has resulted in choking of traffic. Motorists are forced to travel an extra mile to reach their destinations, apart from negotiating the U-turns at their own risk in the face of oncoming traffic.

This arrangement, as pedestrians at other places have learnt, creates a continuous flow of traffic. It leaves little time for those who are on foot to cross the roads. Stopping traffic at the crossroads would have given time for pedestrians.

Among the many crossroads that are closed include the one at Biodiversity, among the busiest in the area. As per the new arrangement, traffic coming from Raidurgam is not allowed to take a right at the junction to go towards Ikea. Instead, motorists are diverted at a U-turn a few metres ahead of the the junction, then to the road behind Biodiversity Park, towards T-Hub, then join the road beside the electricity sub-station, take a U-turn again and go towards Ikea.

The junction is also closed for traffic coming from Gachibowli towards Raidurgam. Vehicles are diverted to take a left at the junction, take a U-turn and come towards the junction and proceed towards Raidurgam.

While police claimed that commuters can make use of flyovers in both directions, commuters said traffic load on the flyovers is increasing.

Same is the case with the crossroads under the Raidurg Metro Rail station, where vehicles heading to Mindspace are diverted to travel till the Cyber Towers junction, take a newly created U-turn under the flyover and come back.

Also, since the junction near Google is closed for a right turn, vehicles coming from Kothaguda to proceed on to the road leading to Hitec City Phase II, housing several multinational companies are diverted to go on ahead, take a U-turn near Shilparamam.

Police claimed that the decision to close these junctions and divert the traffic to the U-turns was taken after a scientific study in the area.

“The new traffic diversion decisions were taken and even though some of the measures lead to circuitous routes, the idea is to ensure that instead of having multiple stops, vehicles can continue to move at a smooth pace without any interruptions,” an official said.