Hyderabad: Planning Board VC Vinod Kumar finds design degrading, writes to Centre

Hyderabad: Telangana State Planning Board Vice Chairman B Vinod Kumar on Sunday urged the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to redesign the entry road to Warangal city at Karunapuram village in the Telangana-Bhopalpatnam-Chhattisgarh National Highway as it was belittling the dignity of the heritage city.

In a letter written to the Union Minister, Vinod said Warangal City was the second largest urban centre in Telangana, sprawling in an area of 406 sq km and having a population of more than 10 lakhs.

The Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) is one of the eleven cities with a rich culture and heritage in the country to have been chosen for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojna (HRIDAY) by the government of India.

It has also been selected as a 'SMART' city in the fast-track competition, which makes it eligible for additional investment to improve urban infrastructure and industrial opportunities under the Smart Cities Mission.

Vinod said the entry to Warangal city from NH-163 at Karunapuram village was provided through an underpass. While highway (overpass) is constructed 4-lane (7.5 m+7.5m), the approach to underpass is constructed as a carriageway width of six meters only.

Normally the roads are designed for a carriageway width of 7 metres taking into account traffic and safety. The curves and turning curves of approach roads at the junction are not designed properly keeping in mind the road safety.

Further there are no proper directional signs for the drivers moving towards Warangal City from Hyderabad. Most of the times the drivers are missing the underpass entry and are forced to travel over the overpass causing a lot of hardships to them.

Vinod said that it was highly improper that the entry to such an important city had been provided through a very insignificant narrow underpass. This is belittling and diminishing the dignity and reputation of Warangal, the pride city of Telangana. This is causing enormous agony to the citizens, who richly loved and imbibed with this glorious city as capital of Kakatiya Dynasty, he said.

If the government can redesign the entire junction with Kakatiya Kalathoranam and an entry to the city over the suitable flyover which would not only accommodate heavy vehicular traffic but also matches with the dignity of Warangal city, he added.