Brand Hyderabad received one more blow on Wednesday as road conditions worsened across the city on Wednesday. Commuters had tough time as travel time increased and many road stretches turned treacherous.
Among the worst stretches of roads was the one near Nampally. Passengers exiting or catching trains at Hyderabad station had to face harrowing time due to flooded pockmarked roads and overflowing sewerage. The road stretch in front of the railway station has been made one-way due to ongoing Metro Rail work didn’t help matters. Traffic coming from Moazam Jahi Market towards Public Gardens has to take a detour in front of the railway station increasing the traffic load. “It is much easier to walk, I will reach my destination earlier. This road is dangerous for everyone,” said a rider with AP11-AA 1282 registration bike. Even as the rider was speaking another gentleman took a tumble as his two-wheeler slipped on sand.
“Over the last three days I have lost count of number of people who have fallen on this road. And see this, the sewerage is flowing like a river on the road. I have no customers even when it is raining,” said Muhammad Jaleel, a businessman, pointing to swirling waters sloshing in front of his shop opposite railway station. Major road junctions across the city bore the brunt of rain damage impeding traffic movement in every direction. “I was travelling between King Koti and Abids it was in bad shape. Then I reached Kachiguda on way to Malakpet and it was plain horrid,” shared Madhu Reddy.
On its part, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation swung into action trying to limit the damage and restore roads as quickly as possible with the commissioner Janardhan Reddy holding a review meeting of all chief engineers. Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao fired off a missive to GHMC officials asking them not to bother about procedures: “Please increase field strength by way of outsourcing/hiring if needed. I see a lot of roads badly damaged.” The bad roads and dismal infrastructure have been a challenge for the city, ranked 5th in its Most Dynamic City Rankings ahead of London and even Boston, by World Economic Forum this year.