The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Bad road conditions hamper traffic flow

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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Bad road conditions hamper traffic flow

Abhijit Dev Kumar

Slipshod patchwork or a caved in manhole lid brings the traffic to a screeching halt

-Photos: Mohd. Yousuf

Back-breaking: Uneven road surfaces that have become an infamous feature of the city.

Hyderabad: Great in looks but bumpy in parts. No, you don’t have to look far to solve this puzzle. Just drive down any city road and the jigsaw pieces, if not the rider, will fall into place. Most of the roads have been widened but a smooth ride still remains a pipedream. Reason – the advantage is lost by uneven, patchy and potholed roads.

The city roads are no longer ‘laid back’ when it comes to driving. Motorists who zoom on the main roads are forced to slam the brakes and slow down or even get stuck in traffic jams, owing to uneven road surfaces that have become an infamous feature of the city.

All-pervasive

Slipshod patchwork or a caved in manhole lid brings the traffic to a screeching halt. Those driving on the Khairatabad flyover, the Raj Bhavan road near Villa Marie College or the Nirankari Bhavan, Lakdikapul, will agree.

Some of the uneven road surfaces on the Begumpet- Somajiguda stretch, Masab Tank and streets in West Marredpally see motorists trying to avoid potholes and ending up driving in a haphazard manner.

It’s a spine-breaking or rather chilling ride from Mettuguda to Tarnaka, literally! A few months ago, trees in the area were chopped down by the GHMC for road widening. The Bhoiguda-Allugadabai-Tarnaka stretch is no less. Motorists have to slow down as a part of the road is full of sharp stones that jut out menacingly.“Commuting has definitely changed as roads have turned from bad to worse. Only if they were well maintained, one could save travel time waiting in those gruelling traffic jams,” says K. Sai, a resident of Tarnaka.

Cesspools of water

With the P.V. Narasimha Rao Expressway being built from Medhipatnam Junction, the service roads cut a sorry figure with huge potholes and cesspools of water. Moreover, roads from Towlichowki to Nanalnagar and Golconda see traffic jams almost on a regular basis. The one towards Golconda is full of hawkers who occupy a good portion of the dirt road.

Another busy stretch is the Chaderghat to Azampura road via Sahifa Masjid. Traffic comes to a standstill everyday and the scenario worsens on Fridays. Vehicles are parked on the main road itself adding to the chaos which is supplemented by the hawkers. “Contractors should lay a good stretch which will last for at least a few years. The government has been collecting all kinds of taxes from common man, so they should be responsible enough to lay good roads too. At least the city will see less traffic jams and people will heave a sigh of relief,” says A. Madhukar, A businessman from Vikrampuri.

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