Traffic woes continue in Hyderabad

Hyderabad commuters face worsening traffic issues due to unregulated junctions, minimal traffic police presence, and sudden diversions. Despite digital enforcement, citizens demand more on-ground policing to curb violations and ease congestion amid rising vehicle numbers and infrastructure-related disruptions

Hyderabad: The woes of commuters in a fast-growing cosmopolitan city like Hyderabad keep multiplying with daily commuters grappling with long snarls, unregulated junctions, and widespread traffic indiscipline, particularly during peak hours.

A major contributing factor is observed to be the glaring absence of visible traffic police personnel at critical junctions and diversion points. Despite having an extensive traffic enforcement system backed by CCTV surveillance and digital challan issuance, the on-ground presence of traffic police during peak hours seems not to be followed in several locations.

Motorists say many junctions in Secunderabad, RTC ‘x’ road, Domalguda, Gachibowli, Ameerpet, Kukatpally, LB Nagar and Mehdipatnam often have no personnel physically regulating traffic, sometimes even during the most congested hours.

“The presence of a traffic cop brings some order. However, now people jump signals, block intersections and park vehicles haphazardly because there is no one watching them,” said Sunny, a software professional from Chikkadpally.

Adding to the chaos are sudden diversions put in place for various infrastructure works or political rallies, and poorly placed barricades. Many of these are unmanned, adding to the motorists’ woes.

“There should be proper signboards if there is a diversion ahead. Without an alert in place on the ground, a driver realises only when they get stuck in traffic. If there were traffic personnel guiding vehicles, it would not turn into a mess for motorists,” said Deepu, a private employee from Secunderabad.

On the other hand, the irregular on-spot challan issuance by traffic cops too is being regarded as another reason, as immediate action on the ground has a far stronger deterrent effect.

“Most motorists fear being stopped by the traffic police and issued immediate fines or seizure of vehicles and licences. When there is no cop at a junction, people tend to violate traffic rules more freely,” said Sushmita from Kukatpally.

Senior traffic officials, when contacted, claimed that round-the-clock traffic violations were being tracked and issuing challans digitally and also regular on-spot challans were being issued.

With the vehicle population touching about 90 lakh across Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda limits and traffic diversions for infrastructure projects causing daily disruption, citizens say a hybrid approach where smart enforcement backed by physical policing would be more effective in easing the travails of traffic.