Narrow Chandrayangutta to Pahadishareef road stretch raises safety concerns for commuters

Commuters and residents have raised safety concerns over the narrow Chandrayangutta–Pahadishareef stretch of National Highway 765. With widening works stalled and traffic increasing, locals are urging authorities to complete long-pending development to ease congestion and improve safety

Hyderabad: Driving through the Chandrayangutta to Pahadishareef road stretch is no longer considered safe by commuters due to the narrow width of the highway. The road is part of National Highway 765 and thousands of vehicles use the stretch.

The road, referred to as the Srisailam Highway, connects several residential colonies lying on the Chandrayangutta–Pahadishareef road with Hyderabad, and people from the south, south east and central zones of the city use the road to head to RGI Airport, Shamshabad. It also links the city with the now proposed Future City lying on the Srisailam Highway.

---

The government had planned to develop the road on par with other important thoroughfares such as Shamshabad Road, Meerpet Road and Aramgarh–Kanchanbagh road. “Except for the demolition of shops and houses, the works have not progressed,” said Mohd Shukoor, a resident of Shaheehnagar.

The land that was acquired for widening of the road now lies encroached upon by shopkeepers. “If the road had been levelled, public utility poles shifted and a cement concrete bed laid, the stretch would have served some purpose. After spending huge amounts towards paying compensation for land, the acquired land remains useless. It shows the lack of seriousness of the authorities concerned,” said Mohd Raoof, a local social worker.

Residents point out that traffic slowdown is regularly witnessed on the stretch due to the narrow road. “The traffic volume has increased manifold over the last one decade. The road authorities should immediately take up the development works,” demanded Ayesha Siddiqua, a school teacher.

Jalpally residents hopeful as GHMC merger proposal gains ground

The proposed merger of Jalpally municipality with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation might improve civic conditions in the neighbourhoods, local people hope. The Jalpally municipality, lying in the south of the city, was formed in 2016 by merging the gram panchayats of Jalpally Kothapet, Pahadishareef and Balapur.

The formation did not help in improving civic conditions in the localities. “Compared to the villages, the situation is worse here. You can find overflowing drains, water scarcity and muddy paths that serve as roads. After its merger with GHMC, we expect things to improve and hope for some special funds for development works,” said Shaik Ismail, a local social worker from Wadi e Saleheen.

The Jalpally municipality comprises around three dozen colonies inhabited by the working class. “The civic conditions in gram panchayats are far better than in Jalpally municipality,” said a local resident.