Patancheru residents rue poor RTC services, pollution and erratic power supply

Hyderabad: Residents in Patancheru constituency are gearing up to cast their votes in the upcoming Assembly polls with various pressing issues at the forefront of their concerns.

Karunakar A., a local resident, highlighted the problem of inadequate lighting on the main roads, particularly the stretch from Beeramguda to Patancheru. "It's especially dangerous for pedestrians and two-wheelers to ply on the road as we may not notice them. It is becoming even more difficult due to the fog in winter," the truck driver said.

In Gowthamnagar, a blocked nala became a cause for distress as it led to stagnation and overflow of the drain, resulting in water entering houses.

"Someone blocked it with sand to fix the issue which has only worsened it. We need a permanent solution as we've only seen this for a few days and dread what's to come," sighed Hameed Unnisa, another resident.

Abhinav Gopula, a student, emphasised the urgent need for an improved public transport, including a TSRTC bus depot at Isnapur crossroads. He pointed out at the number of college students, mostly from surrounding engineering colleges, who gather at the location every morning.

"We also hope that whoever comes to power will implement the plan for a Metro Rail from Patancheru. This will especially help a lot of students and IT professionals. Commuting to some areas in Hyderabad takes up almost five hours of a day," he added.

Despite volunteer efforts, the Patancheru lake, also known as Sakicheruvu, remains plagued with trash, lacking proper monitoring despite being a popular tourist stopover. Furthermore, chemical waste from nearby factories contributes to environmental concerns, particularly in the Pamula Vaagu near the Sultanpur bridge.

Gangaiah, a resident of Lakdaram, spoke about the longstanding issue of the erratic power supply. "For 20 years now, the place has always had trouble as regards electricity. We get it for only a few hours during the day and throughout the night. At times, even that is interrupted. The health of children and the elderly are taking a hit due to the rise in pollution levels caused by constant stone crushing in the surroundings," he added.

Bad roads, stench from ill-maintained canals and noise pollution from stone crushing units in the neighbourhood, combined with non-receipt of the promised double bedrooms are some of the issues plaguing the electorate of Patancheru.