Hyderabad: Flyovers make rides bumpy

Hyderabad: Unscientifically laid flyovers are giving commuters in the city a back-breaking ride. 

Over the years, the municipal corporation has been increasing the height of the roads and creating gaps between the spans (expansion joints) in every flyover where bitumen has been laid. 

The civic body maintains 10 flyovers across the city. The gaps in the spans are clearly evident in the flyovers at Panjagutta, Telugu Talli, Basheerbagh and Masab Tank.

This has caused several non-fatal accidents, which go unreported. 

R. Vasishta, who commutes daily from Padmarao Nagar to Banjara Hills, says that the height of the road has been increased several times. He said that if the corporation continues to lay new layers on the existing layers, the height of the road might eventually reach the side walls of the flyover.  

“The gaps in the flyovers have been giving the back-breaking experience. Invisible gaps on the flyover at times result in non-fatal accidents. I cross at least four flyovers to reach office daily.” He says the Patny, Paradise, Begumpet and Panjagutta flyovers keep growing in height.

J. Santosh, a middle-aged commuter, says he takes two flyovers from Narayaguda to reach Abids. “I have a new concern apart from the fuel hike. The trouble is in the form of invisible gaps in the joints of the Narayaguda and Basheerbagh flyovers, which damage not only my vehicle but also gave me back breaking experience,” he says. 

He said that the corporation’s attitude to city roads has gone from bad to worse.

A senior GHMC official admits that the roads have not been properly laid and the issue was taken up with GHMC Commissioner M. Dana Kishore. He said that the corporation has now decided to ‘scarify’ roads, which basically means lowering a road surface that is to be resurfaced before laying a new surface. The Telugu Talli, Masab Tank and Panjagutta flyovers will be scarified on priority. All 10 flyovers will be scarified at an estimated cost of Rs 26 lakh per lane km.