Delayed box drain construction irks Manikonda residents

A total of Rs. 9.80 crore was earmarked for the box drain and other related works from the Manikonda Municipality funds last year, and the work is being done by the GHMC under the Strategic Nala Development Program (SNDP).

Hyderabad: The construction of a box drain from Panchavati Layout to Sunrise Regulus building in Manikonda, which was expected to be completed in a mere 20 days, continues to be a thorn in the side for residents even today. This main road which connects Shaikpet to Manikonda is sort of non-functional, forcing commuters to navigate through residential colony roads.

A total of Rs. 9.80 crore was earmarked for the box drain and other related works from the Manikonda Municipality funds last year, and the work is being done by the GHMC under the Strategic Nala Development Program (SNDP).

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The Cyberabad Traffic Police also issued a traffic advisory with alternative routes and said that the stretch of 80 meters would be temporarily closed from December 29, 2023, to January 17, 2024, for the construction period.

“This is the main road. A lot of people use it and they are just delaying work for more than two months now. We have to drive around in these narrow lanes, ” says L. Rajiv, a daily commuter on the route.

Along with daily commuters, this road blockage is also impacting residents in the area, as what once used to be peaceful colonies now look like busy main roads.

“We went to the municipal office a week back. They say they will get it done. There will be an election code in a few weeks, then something else will come up, and then it’s rainy season and we cannot do the work,” laments Karthik Jammulapati, a resident of the area.

When asked about the pending work, officials said that construction of the box drain is completed barring 20 to 30 meters, and that laying the CC road would also be done within a week’s span.

Multiple roads dug up for municipal works

Hyderabad: Residents of Manikonda find themselves navigating through under-construction roads, as various lanes in the area have been dug up for municipal works like laying pipelines for water and sewage.

Along with the main road where a box drain is being constructed at Trails Villas, roads in Anjali Gardens, Panchavati Colony, and other areas are also in a bad state. This is in addition to the multiple other lanes that were previously dug up and covered only with patchwork.

Although the work being done is appreciated by the locals, concerns about it not being finished by the given deadline remain. Some Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs) have met officials and contractors before the work is started to ensure that it would not impact their daily lives.

‘No Road, No Tax’ campaign:

Tired of making repeated requests to the authorities to fix their roads, residents of Laxmi Priya Colony in Manikonda launched a campaign where they stopped paying property taxes to the government.

“They dug up the road for some pipeline work last October. After work, they just covered it with mud and did nothing about it, ” explains a resident.

Heavy vehicles take over Anjali Gardens colony:

Although a brand-new road connecting Lanco Hills to ORR was recently thrown open to the public, the lack of signboards and public knowledge about the link road has resulted in increased vehicular traffic in Anjali Gardens colony and nearby areas.

“Buses, huge construction vehicles roam our streets every day. We have a 20 feet road and all these vehicles occupy them. Many tenants are vacating houses because this is a nuisance,” says Hanumantha Kumar, President of the colony RWA.