Battered roads in Hyderabad frustrate commuters; GHMC apathy worsens woes

Incessant rains have worsened road conditions across Hyderabad, frustrating commuters. GHMC's slow and limited response has drawn flak from residents and associations. While pothole repairs are underway, many interior roads remain neglected, with no clear timeline for full restoration

Hyderabad: The road conditions in the city, battered badly due to incessant rains, continue to offer a nightmarish experience for motorists, with the GHMC remaining restricted to pothole fillings and minor repairs.

The slow response from the civic body has only added to the frustration, with commuters expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of timely action.

Officials claimed that efforts to repair the roads were already underway, but the delay caused by the rainfall had resulted in significant inconvenience. “Heavy rains that lashed the city in the third week of July gave a break. The GHMC immediately swung into action, attending to pothole repairs and filling craters wherever they were found on the roads,” a GHMC official said.

According to the GHMC’s latest report on the road safety drive, over 7,250 potholes have been repaired up to August 1.

A few residents expressed anguish over the GHMC delay and said the civic body showed interest in the main roads but neglected the internal road network in residential colonies.

Resident Welfare Associations urged the GHMC to speed up the repairs of roads damaged in the city. The associations expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the roads, which have been causing inconvenience to the residents.

“The condition of the city’s roads has deteriorated significantly, with large potholes and broken stretches causing inconvenience to daily commuters. Despite repeated complaints from residents, officials have not yet taken steps to set right the damages,” Bhaskar Reddy, a resident of Malkajgiri, told Telangana Today.

Another resident of Begumpet, B N Prabhakar, said, “Many motorists and pedestrians are facing difficulties, especially during peak hours, as traffic slows down and accidents become more frequent. Local authorities have assured that repairs will be undertaken soon, but no specific timeline has been provided.”

Meanwhile, GHMC officials have sought permission from the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department to extend the contract to continue repair and maintenance of the road network, which was taken up under the Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP) across six zones in Greater Hyderabad.

Sources in the GHMC said that if the MA&UD agreed to extend the repair and maintenance contract, they would proceed accordingly. Otherwise, they would float fresh tenders.