With traffic being minimal in the city due to the ongoing lockdown, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has expedited the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) and other works in the western part of the city. GHMC has directed all private agencies to complete the road repair works as early as possible according to the government instructions. The companies, therefore, taking up work round the clock, making good use of the traffic-free roads.

Hyderabad SRDP Projects 

GHMC and SRDP Hyderabad are executing long-pending projects in full swing, and Road under Bridge construction (RuB) at Hitech City MMTS station is one of such projects. With the existing bridge here being too short, the number of vehicles going towards Kukatpally's Hitech City ends, moving at the speed of the snail and getting stuck in traffic jams near the city.

In light of all these factors, the civic body is building a new Road under Bridge parallel to the existing one. As the employees and commuters stay in their homes due to the lockdown, the municipal government is speeding up the works by adding more people and equipment. While the railways are implementing the bridge's box section, the GHMC took on the construction of approach roads and connecting the drainage line with Mulkatawa cheruvu.

After the Rs 59 crore project is finished, the four-lane passage at Hitech City station would facilitate a smooth flow of traffic and traffic congestion on the Manjeera pipeline route. Railways have only completed two boxes out of the six boxes. Currently, the work on strengthening the third box bottom slab is underway. At the end of GHMC, work is completed on the excavation for approaches, and work on foundation and substructure is under process. The officials said all of these works were taken up for a lockdown period without compromising on social distancing and other government-specified norms.

Laying of Drainage Pipeline Works  

The GHMC official said, Following the RuB works, GHMC is also carrying out the drain works at Hitech City, MMTS station under the existing bridge, with a goal of completing the works by May end. Rainwater floods the passage under the bridge during monsoon, giving motorists tough times. This apart, drainage overflows onto the roads and spreads intolerable stench in the city. Only if the drainage is directly linked to the body of water, it is not possible to arrest the flooding of water at the event.

When the construction of the new RuB is complete, there will be no flooding area as the drainage line will be redirected into the body of the water, he said. The drain works are being carried out with a cost of Rs 6 crore and a length of 270 meters, works already having been completed covering 218 meters. The balance works of 52 meters would complete by May-end.

Road Repairs Works at a Brisk Pace

Making good use of the lockdown time, GHMC is speeding up the strategic road development plan at Hitech City Cyber Towers. Considering the difficulties faced by motorists in the last monsoon's IT corridors of Madhapur, Gachibowli, Kondapur, Kukatpally, and other regions, the GHMC has undertaken road repairs and re-carpeting works in Serilingampally and Kukatpally at a rapid speed.

The aim is to repair and refurbish all the major IT corridor thoroughfares before the onset of monsoon. Private agencies entrusted with the Comprehensive Road Maintenance Program (CRMP) works were directed to deploy more men and machinery as planned and complete the works. Nearly 13 km of the road network has been repaired in the Serilingampally and Kukatpally areas, and over 16 km of road marking has been completed. More than 750 potholes were filled up so far, as well.

As a result,  City commuters will be welcomed with better roads and fewer potholes once they start commuting again.

BY - Shailaja K