The GHMC in association with the traffic police have identified three alternative roads for the official delegates’ buses to the Conference of Parties (CoP) international bio-diversity meet beginning next week, leaving the main roads leading to Hi-tec City and Madhapur free for the regular traffic.
It is estimated that 225 buses will be used to ferry delegates to and from HICC and last minute finishing touches are being given to roads in Banjara Hills (Road No. 39) towards the Jubilee Ridge Hotel road onto the Hi-tec City flyover through the Ayyappa Society, said GHMC Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference to brief about Chief Secretary Minnie Mathews visit to the different work sites, he said at quite a few stretches on these roads, electric poles were shifted, and land of 13 properties at the Ayyappa society was acquired to widen roads to 80 ft to facilitate the movement of buses.
The road divider near the Hi-Tec City flyover will be opened temporarily till the meeting is over with a gate to be fixed for allowing buses of delegates and VVIP movements. “It will prevent the Hi-Tec city junction from getting congested,” he pointed out.
From midnight, all civic works will be stopped in the identified 21 important traffic corridors leading to Madhapur and heritage sites and any left over works will be taken up after the summit as per the suggestion of the Chief Secretary. While several encroachments were removed on the road leading to Hitex and NAC gate off the Madhapur road (from mini-Charminar), the storm water drains and cycle tracks was incomplete because of the contractor playing truant, he said.
However, three other service roads inside HICC being made into four lanes connecting towards the East Gate, Kukatpally spinal road and NAC gate will be ready. “These roads are going to be permanent assets to HICC as many more conventions are in the pipeline. It will also help in any emergency evacuations,” said Mr. Krishna Babu.
The Commissioner also claimed that road recarpeting taken up in the first phase towards the Hitex, hotels and heritage sites have been more or less completed. Second phase of road works in areas away from CoP will begin next week like those in Himayatnagar, Kavadiguda, Secunderabad, Osmania University and others.
Foliage works, installation of sculptures and fountains are done while modern signages will be up in two roads for now – Banjara Hills Roads - 1,2,3, & 36 to HICC, S.D. Eye Hospital to Tolichowki-Gachibowli, Kothapet-HICC. Rest of footpath works and signages will be taken up after the meeting.
“We have completed works worth Rs.125 crore, another Rs.50-60 crore will be spent later,” he added.
Mr. Krishna Babu also stated that Hyderabad will be the first city in the country to present a preliminary biodiversity index report at CoP. Material was sourced from the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), different universities, and research institutions. “Existing information from these institutions was collated and it will be presented in the summit by Mayor Mohd. Majid Hussain for discussion,” he said.
