Flyover inauguration stuck due to elections

JNTU: It seems to be a never-ending sage. The number of times the inauguration of the Rajiv Gandhi flyover stretching from JNTU to Malaysian Township is making people wonder if the project is jinxed. The authorities promised to open the flyover in March last year, then postponed it to September and later to December.

Officials dealing with the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) officials have missed each deadline causing severe inconvenience to commuters. GHMC projects wing now aims to open the flyover post Lok Sabha elections as per Election code.

The 1.23-km-long flyover starts near Manjeera Mall and goes up to Malaysian Township allowing commuters heading to Hi-Tec City skip the traffic intersection at Forum Mall. The project is budgeted around Rs 65 crore.

The main aim is easing traffic congestion on the route, the flyover starts from Majestic Shopping Mall and ends before the Malaysian Township. Since the route is a high-traffic zone connecting the IT hubs of Gachibowli, Kondapur, Madhapur with Kukatpally, Miyapur and others, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) took up construction of the flyover under the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP).

The constructions of multi level Grade Separators at four junctions Biodiversity junction, Mind Space junction, Ayyappa Society and Rajiv Gandhi statue junction including widening and strengthening of existing at grade road at Mind Space junction was taken up under EPC under Phase-I of SRDP by GHMC.

The new landmark is worth Rs 65 crore. It is 1,230 meters in length, 20 meters in width. Its three-line bidirectional road approaches are 360 meters long, while the viaduct spans a length of 780 meters.

GHMC officials said this junction is formed by the confluence of JNTU Road, KPHB Phase-I, Phase-VI, Phase-IX Roads. As per the field traffic survey, 66 per cent of the peak hour traffic which enters the junction comes from the JNTU arm towards Hi-Tec City.

"This flyover will reduce traffic congestion at the Rajiv Gandhi Round about junction and the commuters travelling towards Hi-Tec City will experience hassle-free movement by passing over this junction. Also, there will be a great reduction in traffic congestion causing at At-grade roads" they added. Will 2019 finally see this flyover is the question doing the rounds in citizen circles.