Road widening works for SCB elevated corridor at Gymkhana Grounds at a brisk pace

Road widening work has picked up for the proposed 18-km elevated corridor from Gymkhana Grounds to Shamirpet ORR. The Rs 3,700-crore HMDA project will impact over 1,100 properties and several playgrounds.

Hyderabad: Works related to road widening for the proposed 18-kilometre elevated corridor between Gymkhana Grounds and Shamirpet ORR on State Highway-1, Rajiv Rahadari, in Secunderabad Cantonment, have progressed at a brisk pace.

The Gymkhana Grounds, opposite Martyr’s memorial at Parade Grounds, marks the starting point of the elevated corridor project, which is being constructed by Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) with a cost of Rs 3,700 crore, connecting ORR at Shamirpet.

The HMDA inspected the route while the State government finalised tenders last week. “An official announcement of tenders will be made in a day or two. The works regarding the demarcation of properties affected en route to the corridor were already completed three years ago,” sources of the HMDA told Telangana Today.

A few trees near Gymkhana Grounds (at Rajiv Rahadari pylon) were chopped off, and compound wall works have already started. After completion of the compound wall, the trees at the Bison Polo Ground will be chopped off. The HMDA had completed the census of trees on this stretch.

The HMDA authorities recently inspected Vikrampuri Colony and up to Trimulgherry X Road, where they plan to widen the existing road from 40 ft to 200 ft. According to the approved blueprint, exit and entry ramps will be constructed at Karkhana, Trimulgherry and Alwal.

“The Defence authorities have already handed over 83 acres of defence land for the elevated corridor on this stretch. Iconic playgrounds, including Gymkhana Grounds, Bison Polo Grounds, and Trimulgherry football ground, will vanish for the elevated corridor in this stretch,” according to a senior HMDA projects wing official.

Approximately 1,100 residential and commercial properties would be affected under the proposed alignment.