Kukatpally is choking due to lack of public transport
There are a few places, if any, in Hyderabad that have transformed as rapidly as Kukatpally.
Around five years ago, techies from other parts of the city moved here to get closer to their offices, most of which are still located in Hitec City and thereabouts. They believed they could cut their commutes by half. Little did they know, this would be a short-lived pleasure.
Shivaram had bought an apartment on Road No 1, KPHB Colony in 2010. Until then, he was living in a rented house in AS Rao Nagar. He would get to his office near Inorbit Mall in just 20 minutes. Today he gets stuck on the Hitec City stretch for an hour every day.
“Everything has changed today. I had bought this house because it was on the main road. It wasn’t so crowded then. Today, traffic and noise has increased so much that none of my family members get a moment of peace. The noise is so pervasive,” says Shivaram.
There are many others like Shivaram, who wonder whether settling in Kukatpally and nearby localities such as Pragathi Nagar was a good idea.
Multiple malls and shopping complexes such as Forum, Manjeera and Chennai Silks, numerous restaurants, hospitals and other businesses have set up shop here. Many more are in the offing. Also, there are very few options for public transport for the people here. The people say TSRTC buses are not so reliable and there is no metro yet. The gap is filled by the notoriously unsafe and polluting shared autos.
Deepthi, an IT professional commuting to Gachibowli, found herself stuck near the Hitech City MMTS Station on Wednesday. “It is getting worse by the week. Every day we see construction activity on empty plots along this stretch. More people will come here, settle down; traffic will only increase,” she said.
Officials from the Cyberabad traffic police seem to agree that the future looks bleak. A. Chandra Sekhar, assistant commissioner of police (Traffic), Kukatpally division, entrusted with controlling the daily chaos, admits the job is indeed a difficult one.
The ACP let this reporter be a fly on the wall during his daily rounds on Monday.
In his car, at around 10.30 am, he pointed towards a queue of vehicles stuck on the Hitec City flyover and said, “Look there. This congestion will continue until Cyber towers in Madhapur.”
He explained: “There are only three major routes that connect the Kukatpally area to Hitec City. One is along this road; the Alwyn X Road to Hafeezpet stretch and the Lingampally route. Twice a day, people just swarm these roads at almost the same time.”
The morning rush keeps Sekhar’s men on their toes till late afternoon. The evening rush can last till 10 pm.
All personnel, from circle inspectors to constables, are deputed on field duty.
Driving through the traffic, Sekhar again pointed to construction activity along the road. “There is a 16-floor residential complex being built right now. There is a mall with a sevenscreen multiplex that will begin operations soon. Thousands of people will work, live and come here in the next few years. A stretch that takes 10 minutes to cover will take double that time,” he added.
Kukatpally, and Hyderabad, continue their hurtle to a choked death.
Officials from the Cyberabad traffic police seem to agree that the future looks bleak.
Multiple malls and shopping complexes, restaurants, hospitals have set up shop in Kukatpally