Merchants and residents along the Uppal main road are opposing the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) proposal to widen the road stretch on Warangal highway from Uppal crossroads to Nalla Cheruvu.
The protesters feel that the proposal would affect the livelihood of several families that have been carrying trade here for the last three generations. They argue that the widening of the present 66-foot road to the proposed 150 feet would end up taking up almost 90 per cent of the houses and shops located along the stretch.
“Only 17 years back most of us had parted with space for road widening and even before we could recover and establish ourselves back, there is another plan threatening our livelihood,” said S.S.Sekhar of the Uppal Merchants Association and Uppal Main Road Building Owners Association.
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The traders argue that instead of taking up the widening for one kilometre, the authorities could instead develop a bypass road to solve the issues of traffic, if any.
According to the associations, close to 220 buildings and 450 commercial establishments would be affected in the road widening, and putting at stake the livelihood of more than 5,000 families. Also, they argue that the plan to increase road width would not work out positively as it runs into graveyards along the proposed stretch.
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“Instead, we urge the authorities to consider a bypass road from Metro Cash & Carry store to Nagole Road to Nalla Cheruvu which will be a more effective solution for smooth traffic flow,” Mr. Sekhar said. A rally was taken out recently by the merchants here to protest the proposal and they intend to meet public representatives and GHMC officials and urge for dropping the plan.