20 more years for ‘Road Development Programme’!

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s flagship Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) would take at least 20 years to complete. This is not a startling revelation but one that comes from officialdom. Officials claim that related aspects that go into accomplishing the scheme like land and property acquisition, utility shifting, court cases, financial crunch, metro rail alignment, among others, are developing into pitfalls and delaying an early realisation of KCR’s dream.

In 2012 the then government had asked Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to conduct Comprehensive Transportation Study (CTS) in order to address and resolve the transportation and traffic challenges that the city was confronted with. On being entrusted with the project and after duly taking stock of the ground-realities, LEA Associates South Asia Pvt Ltd suggested construction of multi-level flyover, grade separators, skyways and underpasses as viable measures to ease traffic congestions. The project report along with findings and recommendations were submitted in June 2014.

In accordance with the recommendations, the Telangana government decided to construct skyways among other ‘remedial measures’ at 54 critical junctions and 360 kilometre corridors within the city limits. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was asked to execute the SRDP, as it was called. On conducting its own feasibility study, particularly with regard to financial viability, the Corporation decided to take up SRDP at 20 junctions.

Highly placed sources in the Corporation told The Hans India that based on their study and a rationale estimate point out it would take at least two decades to complete the SRDP project in all 54 junctions. The total cost of the project has been estimated at around Rs 24,500 crore; an amount the Corporation's financial position could help ground the project at the earmarked 54 junctions.

Additionally, sources said that they had to acquire vast vacant lands, including some Central government lands, and at least 1,500 properties in order to finish the project. A possible reason for the delay is that several properties are caught in legal glitches, which could take years to get clearances.

Meanwhile, Chief Engineer (Projects) R Sreedhar said that the Corporation would complete the first phase of SRDP by December 2018.
Explaining about SRDP phase I he said that initially they had contemplated to construct 20 junctions. However, land acquisition wrangles have delayed work in four junctions, including the proposed two skyways between Uppal and Rasoolpura junctions as they had to acquire Central government lands.

He said skyways at KBR junction have been delayed due to legal hassles with National Green Tribunal (NGT). Noticeably positive, Sreedhar pointed out that works at Rajeev Gandhi Junction (one bi-directional flyover, starts from Majestic shopping mall and ends before Malaysian township), Mind Space junction (one bi-directional flyover and one bi-directional underpass with service roads) and Ayyappa society (one uni-directional underpass) have been progressing at a brisk pace.

He said that the first level flyover Biodiversity junction (skyway from Gachibowli to Mehdipatnam) has been pending in the absence of property acquisition. They are yet to acquire 15 properties near the junction. He said that the delay was to avoid legal issues. The Corporation is likely to finish the underpass at Ayyappa society by June 2018.

Meanwhile, in order to simplify the process and about the works with gusto, the Xorporation has decided to complete SRDP phase I in five packages. Package I includes multi-level flyovers and grade separators at six junctions-KBR Park entrance, Maharaja Agrasen Junction (Road No12), Film Nagar, Road No 45 Junction, Jubilee Hills Check-Post Junction and Cancer Hospital Junction (Road No 10 Junction). The projected cost for Package-I is approximately Rs 322.92 crore.

Package II includes LB Nagar Junction, Bairamalguda Junction, Kamineni Hospital Junction on Inner Ring Road and Chintalkunta Check-post Junction (Rs 331.38 crore). Package III includes construction and improvement of grade separators at Uppal and Rasoolpura (Rs 160.07 crore). Package IV includes construction of multi-level Biodiversity Park Junction, Ayyappa Society Junction, Rajiv Gandhi Statue Junction and Mind Space (Rs 196.13 crore). Package V includes construction and improvement of grade separators or flyovers at Owaisi Hospital and Bahadurpura (Rs 86.21 crore).

By Maddy Deekshith