Hyderabad: The city is set to see a major push to decongest one of its most important arterial routes, as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) plans a Rs 120 crore model corridor project on the road from Shaikpet to Masab Tank. The corridor links Gachibowli and the IT hub on the west to Mehdipatnam and the Old City area and is notorious for its traffic woes.
The stretch between Tolichowki, Shaikpet, NMDC and Masab Tank regularly experiences congestion owing to a heavy volume of vehicles, inadequate width of roads, encroachments, poor design of intersections and frequent flooding. Even though there are flyovers, traffic tends to accumulate at the points of entry and exit of the corridors.
In order to mitigate these problems, GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan, accompanied by Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, inspected the road from Shaikpet Flyover to Masab Tank on Thursday, April 9. Taking a bus ride through the corridor, the officers took stock of various problem areas and directed action immediately.
The GHMC has announced a budget allocation of Rs 120 crore for traffic management, wherein each zone receives an amount of Rs 20 crore.
The model corridor approach is intended to offer a sustainable solution by implementing an integrated plan involving infrastructural development along with civic development activities. Some of the projects proposed under the initiative are widening of roads in key sections, introduction of free turns, upgrading of intersections, and BT road construction.
Officials also outlined several location-specific interventions during the inspection to address long-standing bottlenecks along the corridor.
Measures for improving pedestrian safety
In order to enhance pedestrian safety in the proposed corridor, the authorities plan to establish a new foot over bridge (FOB) near SDI Hospital at Vrindavan Colony Road No 1. In addition, pelican signals and zebra crossings will be installed at Shaikpet Nala.
Rerouting the junction
For optimising traffic flows at the congested Nanal Nagar junction, the authorities have planned to shrink the rotary and expand the carriageway to accommodate smooth traffic movement.
Widening of road and land acquisition
In order to widen the roads in the corridor, it is proposed that the existing median between Retibowli and Nanal Nagar will be stripped out. Besides, land acquisition will be initiated in critical sections like NMDC and locations around the Dell Showroom.
Removal of obstacles and improving traffic movement
The road corridor contains various physical barriers that obstruct smooth traffic movement, such as arches, structures, and tombs close to Shaikpet Nala on the roadway. Removal of these obstacles will facilitate traffic flow.
Other measures include installation of height barriers and signboards at the Masab Tank flyover, relocation of an electricity transformer on the Mehdipatnam side, and construction of a slip road for linking Pochamma Basti with Road No. 12.
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