Bad roads in Laxmi Priya colony in Manikonda

Navigating ditches a challenge for Laxmi Priya Colony residents

Hyderabad: Months after residents of Laxmi Priya Colony in Manikonda launched their ‘No Road, No Tax’ campaign, they continue to run from pillar to post requesting authorities to lay new roads. With monsoons becoming active, navigating these uneven lanes has become even more challenging for them.

Earlier in March, Telangana Today spoke to the colony residents who said that they stopped paying property taxes as a form of citizen-led protest against the substandard roads.

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Since then they have submitted multiple requests to both their local representatives and Manikonda municipality officials, met them personally, and even launched online campaigns to raise their issues, all to no avail.

Their colony roads were dug up back in 2023 to lay pipelines. However, once the work was done, residents said that the contractors didn’t finish their job and covered it up with gravel and mud. When a box drain was being built nearby, traffic was diverted to their colony roads which forced them to live in a dusty environment.

“In a few weeks, it will be almost a year since all this started. They said they would do it after the elections. After the elections, they said it was approved in the council meeting, and will do it soon. It’s been over 20 days and no work has started,” shares a frustrated Karthik Jammulapati who has been raising this issue for months.

Another resident T Santhosh Kumar adds that the colony roads have become too dangerous to drive in monsoons. As the ditches and sharp edges on the roads are concealed by stagnant rainwater, those driving two-wheelers have fallen off their vehicles leading to minor injuries.

“Municipal officials are not committed to our cause. If you are paying a contractor, won’t you check if everything is done properly? The officers and contractors don’t live here, it is us who have to bear the consequences,” laments Santhosh.

Even after multiple cold responses from the authorities, residents of Laxmi Priya Colony continue to voice their concerns. Continuing with their campaign, the residents have also been maintaining an Excel sheet documenting their efforts.

Repeated efforts to contact the concerned officials of the Manikonda Municipality were met with no response.

When asked about the bad road conditions, the concerned engineering official replied, “The work is under technical sanction. Then tender will be floated.” Further questions about the timeline were met with assurances of letting us know after the tender finalisation.