LB Nagar crossroads has become the hotspot for traffic chaos, owing to the never-ending works for the right hand side flyover being built as part of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) of GHMC.
Construction of the flyover has been going on for the past four years, with long hiatus every now and then for various reasons. Even the latest deadline of March, 2022 has been defaulted upon, testing the patience of commuters who have to take the route daily to reach their destinations.
‘”I am a regular commuter from Mansurabad area. I have the option of taking either the Inner Ring Road or the highway, but both the roads present tedious rides for the past two years,” says Rakesh Naidu, a businessman.
Vehicles coming from Inner Ring Road have been blocked for a direct right turn at the junction. They will have to take left, and take a U turn further ahead to move back to the junction, and wait for the traffic signal there.
“Vehicles travelling from Hayatnagar side too get accumulated at the junction, and it is a harrowing experience to wait for the signal under the hot sun. This has been going on for so long,” said Satyanarayana, another regular commuter.
For the commuters from Hayatnagar side, the road is temporarily divided near the junction, to reduce the chaos for the right turn onto the Inner Ring Road.
“Some times, people unfamiliar with the idea end up taking the least congested among the two divisions, and realise that they are on the wrong side after reaching the junction. It is adding up a great deal to the fuel cost,” said Shyam Babu, an auto driver.
The right hand side flyover, which is the source of all the chaos, has been cursed with many hurdles since the beginning. Its construction was stalled for quite some time before the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, owing to issues related to property acquisition. Trustees of a temple on the roadside refused to yield the land, where the flyover was supposed to land. Long-winding negotiations have resulted in an impasse, and the authorities finally decided to land the structure abruptly before the temple.
Then the successive lockdowns came, and labourers left for their native states, leaving the work unfinished. Work began after the second wave, but has been progressing at a lethargic pace, putting snails to shame.
At the end of the year 2021, GHMC officials said the flyover is likely to be inaugurated by March this year. However, two months since the deadline, there is no change in the status.
