City infra projects in limbo, people suffer

Lakhs of motorists continue to put up with the agonisingly long wait at traffic signals and railway junctions while they breathe in polluted air amidst heat, noise and dust.

This is because major infrastructure projects which have been proposed to ease vehicular traffic congestion continue to remain on paper due to lack of coordination between the government agencies.

Various state entities like the GHMC, Roads and Buildings Department, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and the National Highway authorities, are dragging their feet over crucial traffic and transport infrastructure projects, such as construction of bridges over railway crossings at Uttamnagar near Safilguda, Tukaram Gate and Uppuguda. Even the plans to construct flyovers at Balanagar T-Junction and Che Number Chowrasta are yet to take off.

Motorists are fed up with the endless announcements by government agencies and are demanding action.

“For the last 10 years, we are being told that a bridge will be constructed at Uppuguda railway crossing. The foundation stone was laid five years ago, but till today, it has not been constructed,” said S. Balakrishna, who travels from Uppuguda to Shamshabad every day.

“There are reasons for the delay. Uppuguda bridge is delayed because a new bridge is being constructed over Kandikal gate railway crossing which is near Uppuguda gate. Likewise, the proposed construction of bridges at Uttamnagar and Tukaram Railway Gate are in the design stages. The Roads and Buildings Department has agreed to take up construction of flyover at Balanagar TJunction and GHMC will acquire the properties,” said GHMC engineer-inChief R. Dhan Singh.