Residents vent ire against move to relocate RUB in Safilguda

Hyderabad: Residents and property owners in Chandragiri Colony (East and West), Santoshima Nagar and adjoining colonies in Safilguda have strongly opposed the proposal to shift the sanctioned Road under Bridge (RUB) from Level Crossing BP-10 at Vinayak Nagar to an alternative location passing through the Chandragiri Colony and Santoshima Nagar.

Following a representation from the residents, the District Collector, Medchal-Malkajgiri District, wrote to the Railway authorities requesting them to explore the feasibility of constructing a RUB through Chandragiri Colony and Santoshima Nagar, near Road No. 3 and Bank of India, as an alternative to the already sanctioned RUB at LC BP-10, Vinayak Nagar. The residents pointed out that the Vinayak Nagar location is more suitable for the construction of the RUB, as it has an existing 20-metre-wide road, identified for possible widening to 30 metres under the revised Master Plan. The road is straight, serves as an RTC bus route and provides convenient connectivity to several residential colonies, including Moula Ali, AS Rao Nagar, Santoshima Nagar, DeenDayal Nagar, Vinayak Nagar, VunyalaShankaraiah Nagar, Sudhanagar, Brindavan Colony, and other adjoining localities, the residents say.

P Bharadwaja Sastry, a resident of Safilguda, said:“The RUB at LC BP-10 has already been approved with two RCC box structures measuring 6 metres x 4.5 metres each, along with a service road. An amount of Rs 41.65 crore has also been sanctioned for the project, and preliminary works, including utility shifting, have commenced.”

According to him, the proposed alternative route through Chandragiri Colony is through an internal colony road with an existing width of only 10 metres. “Widening it to 25 or 30 metres would severely affect more than 350 houses and apartments, impacting nearly 1,000 families. Furthermore, the RTC buses cannot operate on the road unless it is substantially widened.”

The residents highlighted several technical constraints along the proposed alternative route, including two sharp 90-degree turns and the presence of a drain or nala. V Seetharam Verma, another resident, said that another major concern is the existence of an RUB, approximately six metres wide, in Chandragiri Colony between Railway Mile Poles 16/30 and 16/31, which has been used by the public for several decades. “The newly proposed RUB is reportedly planned between Mile Poles 16/25 and 16/27, on a road adjacent to the existing RUB.

Two routes are within approximately 50 metres of each other, with the approach roads merging or intersecting within 100 metres from the railway track, potentially creating traffic congestion and inconvenience.”

Railway and government officials also visited the proposed alternative location on August 20 and August 28, 2026, and the Railway authorities are stated to be preparing the General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) for the proposal. This has further heightened concerns among the residents.

Representatives of several Colony Welfare Associations have already submitted representations to the District Collector, Commissioner of Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation, and Railway authorities, opposing the proposed shifting of the RUB.

The residents stated that the surrounding colonies have been depending on LC BP-10 for several decades and that shifting the RUB would cause serious inconvenience to thousands of commuters and residents.

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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