Pothole-ridden roads plague Hyderabadis

Hyderabad: Navigating Hyderabad’s roads has become an increasingly hazardous experience for motorists, two-wheeler riders, and pedestrians, with potholes, damaged stretches and uncovered/protruding/recessed manholes turning several busy roads into potential accident zones.

Residents say poor road conditions have persisted for weeks, causing vehicle damage, traffic congestion, and daily hardships for them. The key internal arterial stretches and residential lanes in the city’s colonies have taken a severe beating, making life difficult for residents who are forced to use these unmotorable roads. When they hit the main road, it is a bumpy ride most of the way. Be it residential colonies or main roads, people are taking detours to reach their workplaces.

Residents across Kukatpally, Ameerpet, Nampally, Tolichowki, Langar House, Filmnagar, Shaikpet and other areas like Sainikpuri, Kapra, Serilingampally, Nizampet, Uppal and Jubilee Hills reported that outer bitumen layers are completely eroded, turning the inner layers into hazardous pits, deep potholes and loose gravel.

Motorists travelling through areasin the Old City, like Puranapul, Bahadurpura, Chaderghat, Moghalpura, Misrigunj, Gowliguda and Karwan Road also struggle to negotiate damaged stretches where the road surface has been eroded.

On various roads where potholes have turned into craters over the past couple of weeks commuting is increasingly difficult.

Zaid Khan, a resident of Chaderghat, recently noticed a large pothole beside an uncovered manhole while travelling through the area. “This is extremely dangerous for drivers. When I stopped to take photographs and post them on social media, a car actually fell into the pothole and was badly damaged,” he said.

A resident of Uppal, K Srinath Goud, said commuters were forced to slow down and zigzag along the potholes every day. “Every journey has become stressful. During the rains, potholes disappear under water and you never know how deep they are. The Municipal Corporation must stop temporary patchwork and provide proper, lasting roads,” he said.

The growing frustration over pothole-ridden roads was dramatically highlighted recently when a man lay down in the middle of the road near Gowliguda bus stand. The protester, identified as Feroz, said the road had remained in a dangerous condition for days, putting citizens’ lives at risk.

A video of Feroz lying on the road went viral on social media. Two policemen rushed to the spot assuring him that repairs would be taken up by the next morning. However, Feroz remained unconvinced, saying the problem required permanent repairs, rather than another temporary patchwork.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MM Farooqui

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M M Farooqui, senior correspondent with interest in writing a range of stories about Hyderabad and its Purana Sheher. An experienced journalist specializing in departments including Heritage, Transport, Municipal Corporation, Majlis among others with over six years of writing expertise. When not immersed in writing, he can be found spending time in eating Hyderabadi cuisines, Mughlai, Chinese, exploring new things and listening to songs and qawwalis. Farooqui is an accomplished writer with a passion for writing with six years of experience, he has honed his craft in various genres. Farooqui’s diverse family history and embracing cultures have enriched his writing with unique perspectives.

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