DIVERSIONS TAKE MOTORISTS FOR A RIDE

150 cops deployed, clear signs placed to control vehicular traffic

Motorists driving from Erragadda towards Maitrivanam on Thursday were shocked to find their commute disrupted by the new traffic diversions that were suddenly announced on Wednesday.

“I was not aware of the traffic diversion. When I reached the junction, traffic was directed towards Dharam Karam Road to reach Ameerpet,” said Sohail Nair who lives in Moosapet.

He said it took him an hour and 20 minutes to reach his destination. “After today’s experience, I will try to avoid this route as much as possible for the next 45 days.”

Asked why prior intimation is not given, Dr V Ravinder, joint commissioner of traffic police, said, “If we announce a week before, commuters may not remember. That is why we decided to inform the commuters a day before so they will get the information from the media.” For decades, the Airport Authority of India is fighting against encroachers who have occupied 119.82 acre of land of the Begumpet airport.

Minister of state for civil aviation, Jayant Sinha, told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the encroachments in Hyderabad were the largest after Bhopal.

He said slum dwellers and other inhabitants had occupied the land and the AAI was working with the state government to rehabilitate them.

AAI general manager G.S.Rao said, “We are fighting to get back the land for decades. Most of the land is encroached in Rasoolpura, Chinnatokatta, Tokatta and Balanagar.” The source said that apart from Begumpet airport lands, the AAI was focusing on few encroachments at Hakimpet, Dundigal and Nadargul.

The source said the AAI was fighting against encroachers in court as well as bringing the matter to the notice of state governments concerned to get the land vacated.