Cyclists turn to Outer Ring Road after track dismantled

HYDERABAD: With the two-kilometer exclusive cycle track dug up and forgotten, cycling enthusiasts are forced to use Outer Ring Road (ORR) to pursue their hobby, putting their lives at risk. After the track, which stretches from Biodiversity Park to Mind-Space Junction in the IT corridor, was inaugurated back in 2013, the cycling enthusiasts actively took up the hobby. 

However, the track was dug up to lay water pipes. It was not covered and reconstructed the track for riders. From then on, bicycling groups started to hold their weekend rides on ORR, where scores of accidents are reported on a regular basis.

While the government was lauded for developing cycling points, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has allocated a place for bike station point for Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC) at Biodiversity and about 300 bicycles were also provided for riders. But, the cycling enthusiasts have stopped coming as the cycling track was destroyed. The entire stretch is now occupied by street vendors.

According to Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC) officials, the regular riders are not showing interest in coming to the area. Meanwhile, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation  Zonal Commissioner (West Zone),  Harichandana Dasari, said: “At Biodiversity Flyover construction works are going on and a track was damaged”. 

Truck driver dies in accident at ORR

Hyderabad: A truck driver died in an accident on Outer Ring Road at Shamshabad here on Saturday night. D Ramesh from Bidar in Karnataka was on his way to transport plastic material to Kolkata from Patancheru when the tragedy occurred. He brought his truck to an abrupt stop on seeing a vehicle rushing towards him. The move caused the truck to swerve and hit a median.