Rains turn Hyderabad roads into obstacle courses

Riddled with potholes, and peeled-off tar, they offer a risky ride for users

Hyderabad: The battered roads of Hyderabad have turned into perilous obstacle courses for commuters following the recent rains. At numerous places, the upper layer of the main roads has eroded, leaving behind the treacherous gravel beds that pose a serious threat to the safety of the motorists.

Take, for instance, the Banjara Hills Road No 1 to Masab Tank junction stretch. A portion of the road in front of the Darussalam Bank has peeled off, leaving behind potholes and gravel. “The gravel on this stretch causes vehicles to skid. As a result, during rush hours, the movement of vehicles is quite slow, causing long traffic jams throughout the day,” complains Syed Aejaz, who regularly uses the road to commute home from his workplace.

Just a short distance from this stretch, at Bazaar Ghat junction, the road conditions are even more appalling. Large craters have formed on the roads and when it pours, they get inundated and become water-filled traps. “When the two-wheelers land into these huge potholes, the riders are at a risk of falling. The roads got severely damaged due to recent excavation works, which are yet to be completed,” says Mohd Younus, a trader from Red Hills.

The situation is not much different at the nearby Habeebnagar junction where the road has been badly damaged and is full of potholes. “The road’s condition has deteriorated significantly following the rains. Driving through this main road riddled with potholes and stagnant rainwater is a back-breaking exercise for all of us,” points out Kunal Singh, a resident of Afzal Sagar. The condition of the main road at Dhoolpet Excise office, Bhoiguda Kaman, Aghapura junction, Puranapul Jiyaguda, Mohd Shukoor Kaman Fateh Darwaza, Misrigunj and Jahanuma are no different.

At Jahanuma and Fateh Darwaza, there is no road at all and only long and deep craters are visible. “If authorities can’t take up permanent repair works, at least they can do some temporary patch-up works, which will go a long way in providing some relief for us. Instead of taking such temporary relief works, the municipal authorities appear to have completely abandoned us,” is the common refrain from the general public.

Road conditions in Secunderabad too fare no better! Due to rains, major road stretches at several locations including Rasoolpura, Gopalapuram, Secunderabad railway station, Ramgopalpet, Ranigunj, Monda Market, Indira Park, Ashok Nagar, Musheerabad, Ramnagar Gundu and Adikment areas are badly damaged.

Making life even more difficult for the commuters is the fact that the interior colony roads, that feed traffic to the main roads, too are bruised and battered. As a result of potholes, water gets stagnant in these colonies, leading to massive traffic jams even in the interior parts of Secunderabad. “Driving on the roads in Regimental Bazaar is a horrible experience with too many potholes. The bumpy rides take a toll on health. It is scary for the senior citizens,” pointed out Surya Anand, a commuter. Adding to the problems, are the non-functional street lights and piled up garbage that carpets the roads and makes them slippery. “Due to inadequate lighting on the roads, people are at the risk of accidents,” complained a road user.