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Less than 10% Hyderabad roads glassy: routes to city airport, through Banjara Hills

By Sudhansu R Das 

Hyderabad has an excellent road connecting the Rajiv Gandhi Airport to the Hyderabad city. The roads in the High Tech city are smooth like glasses. The road going through Banjara hills has a grand look. But, those roads constitute less than 10% of the total city roads.
The major parts of the road area in the city are not vehicle worthy; potholes, unscientifically made road dividers, drainage lids protruding out or sinking one feet deep on the roads, broken roads, improper humps, broken humps and unmarked humps etc cause accidents and damage to vehicles every day.
Absence of footpaths lets pedestrians walk on the roads and meet accidents. Most of the roads are dug repeatedly and not repaired for a long time, which causes traffic jams, accidents and water logging etc.
The roads in Hyderabad boost the realty sector, automobile sector and let flourish trade and services; roads generate huge revenue for the state government and help a phenomenal urban growth in the city. 
Unfortunately, the road which is the most essential basic need of the Hyderabadis are in an extremely bad shape in most of the wards in the city. This is one of the main reasons for income erosion, loss of productivity hours and mental stress etc.
According to a report released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the State of Telangana stands second in the country after Uttar Pradesh for the number of deaths caused due to drunken driving (DD) in 2021. Telangana recorded 339 deaths caused by DD, which is 66% more compared to 2020.
“You cannot stop drunken driving by enforcement alone. Even the measures taken by NGOs to provide cab services in bars and pubs fell flat. There needs to be awareness and education should be primary,” reportedly said Vinod Kanumala, chief functionary of the Indian Federation of Road Safety.
The Hyderabad city tops the list among the Indian cities in road accidents in staggered junctions. As per studies six people die and scores of people get injured in Hyderabad every day due to road accidents. The road connecting Hyderabad-Nagpur Highway from Kompally to Pragati Nagar through Dhulapally and Bahadurpally has dense traffic; the speeding vehicles face accidents regularly due to huge potholes and broken roads.
The service roads on both sides of the National highway had boosted the realty sector and generated huge revenue for the state. Many other roads originate from the service roads; on both sides of those interior roads; hundreds of housing colonies, shops, hotels and malls have developed.
Those roads connecting the NH help a realty sector boom in the Suchitra Circle, Kompally, Gundlapohcampally, Dhulapally, Mausimguda and the Gandimaisamma areas. People have invested their hard earned savings, loans and retirement benefits etc to buy housing properties in those areas. They are suffering after purchasing their houses even after ten years of their stay.
Horrible condition in many of the inner roads which are repaired and dug again and again giving endless sufferings to commuters, damaging vehicles and bones of people, forcing people to spend more on hospitalization and on repair of vehicles. In the rainy season, the roads are not motorable as the water filled potholes and broken roads become dangerous for motorists. Besides, the errant Rambo type two wheeler drivers who speed away with break neck speed add to traffic woe.
Lack of civic sense among many of the motorists leads to public nuisance as eight out of ten vehicles in the city roads use high beams causing accidents. “Only Lord Venkateswar can punish those people who make bad roads after collecting 19% road tax from us,” said Ganapathy Srinivas of Kompally.
Only Lord Venkateswar can punish those people who make bad roads after collecting 19% road tax
In Telangana, one has to pay 19% road tax, besides GST and other taxes, if one has a pre-owned two wheeler or car. The normal road tax without a pre-owned vehicle is 17% of the cost of the vehicle. High tax on automobiles is cruelty only in a city which has never witnessed a reliable public transportation system. Autorickshaws ply without meter and the auto drivers charge anything as per his wish. This situation helps boost car and auto part industries and sufferings go to Hyderabadis.
The Alkapur township was built just eight kilometres away from the IT park. People have purchased houses in this residential township hoping the roads will be good to improve their quality of living.
The approach roads to the Alkapur township are hazards; in some places good roads are built but it lasts only a few months; contractors dig it for laying cables or pipes and leave it unrepaired. Profit goes to road contractors and sufferings go to the residents who struggle every day to reach their work place.
The disappearance of footpath or nonexistence of it adds to life risk and gives permanent hardship to Hyderabadis. It adversely affects people’s emotional and physical health because people find it difficult to walk safely on roads; it becomes too difficult for senior citizens. Over decades, Hyderabad roads have drastically reduced the physical activity, mainly daily walking habit of people.
The disappearance of old and shady trees from roadside remove the pleasure of travelling under the tree canopy which once decorated most of the roads in Hyderabad. Today, those trees are replaced by potted plants which also disappear after a few months or dry up. Road widening has let thousands of big native trees from both sides of the Hyderabad-Medchal highway.
Those trees cannot be replenished in future. The national highway from Secunderabad to Medchal was most enjoyable for the motorists some ten years back. Today it looks dull and lifeless without those trees. Suffering goes to the Hydrabadis who have no tree shade to escape the summer heat or get the cool breeze while travelling.
Absence of the names of places on roadside notice boards in English and National language Hindi create confusion while driving. Notice boards carrying the names of places in three languages in every square are a must in all metro cities which will boost tourism and trade. Road dividers are not made scientifically, causing maximum fatal accidents in the city; drunken driving aggravates the situation.
The sufferings go to the people only who cough up high taxes for the growth of automobile and realty sectors. Wise political leaders with a sense of belongingness to people, intellectuals, both print and electronic media and the youth of the city should work for good roads which will make the roads safe for inclusive growth and prosperity.

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