From Punjagutta to Shaikpet: A look at Hyderabad’s steel bridges

Over the past decade, Hyderabad has increasingly turned to steel bridges to ease traffic congestion. Faster construction, minimal land acquisition and seismic suitability have helped the city build multiple steel bridges, with several more projects underway.

Hyderabad: In a bid to find solutions to ever-growing traffic issues and ensure smooth vehicular movement, Hyderabad, over the last decade, has adopted steel bridges in a big way. Apart from ensuring faster completion, these facilities were made possible without significant land acquisition.

In the seismic mapping, Hyderabad is categorised in zone-II, which also makes steel bridges more suitable. The previous BRS government initiated and built steel bridges in the heart of the city, with a focus on speed of construction and aesthetics in design. Now, the city has several steel bridges, and a few more are also under construction.

* Punjagutta Steel Bridge-I:

Hyderabad’s first steel bridge was built at Punjagutta with a four-lane width. The low-level steel plate girder bridge with a span of 35 metres, without disturbing an existing graveyard and provides access towards Punjagutta X roads, Punjagutta flyover, and GVK Mall for commuters. Built at Rs 5.6 crore, it was inaugurated in June 2020.

* Punjagutta Steel Bridge-II:

The second steel bridge at Punjagutta, built over Maha Prasthanam, benefits commuters from Nagarjuna Circle (NFCL) to KBR Park. The total road area is 140 metres, including a 57-metre approach return wall and a 9.6-metre flyover. A total of 46 steel girders have been installed. This steel bridge, constructed by GHMC with a budget of Rs 17 crore, was opened in January 2022.

* Indira Park-VST Steel Bridge:

The city’s third steel bridge, named as Nayani Narasimha Reddy flyover, was inaugurated in August 2023. Stretching over 2.63 km with four lanes, the two-way steel bridge improved traffic at RTC X Roads, VST, and Indira Park.

* Shaikpet-Jubilee Hills Steel Bridge:

The city’s fourth steel bridge, a four-lane facility at Silent Lake Valley, Road Number 51, Jubilee Hills, was built by Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Ltd (HRDCL) with Rs 30.30 crore. Inaugurated in April 2022, the bridge reduces the commuting distance by approximately 3.5 km and provides a smoother, faster stretch between Shaikpet and Jubilee Hills Road No 45.

* Malakpet-Santosh Nagar Steel Bridge:

This bridge is currently under construction with a length of 2.53 km. Aimed at providing a signal-free corridor from Nalgonda ‘X’ Roads to Owaisi Junction, it is expected to be completed by 2026 end.

* Ramnagar-Baghlingampally Steel Bridge:

A steel bridge has been proposed from Ramnagar to Bhaglingampally, with a length of 0.84 km. The proposal has been put on hold due to an inordinate delay in acquiring land at RTC Kalyana Mandapam. Owners of LIG, MIG, and HIG properties are unwilling to part with them.

* HMRL steel bridge near Oliphant Bridge:

Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited built a 272-foot-long steel bridge over the existing Oliphant Railway Bridge near Secunderabad Railway station, connecting the Secunderabad East Metro station. The steel bridge was completed in 2017 with the 1,100-tonne structure prefabricated in Ghaziabad, transported, and assembled on site using 60,000 high-strength friction-grip (HSFG) bolts. Metro train operations are continuing between Nagole-Mettuguda and Ameerpet, and vice versa, on the steel bridge.