Hyderabad: Narrow roads a nightmare for Goshamahal dwellers

Goshamahal: Narrow roads causing traffic congestion in the Goshamahal area are giving a nightmare to locals and commuters. The same narrow road from the Nizam period is still being continued and with no road development plans for the area residents and especially the traders of Begum Bazar market are facing several difficulties.

The 400-year-old Goshamahal area has many narrow lanes connecting both the old city and the new city areas like Afzalgunj, Darussalam, Nampally, Moazzam Jahi Market, and Bahadurpura. The area is still underdeveloped. Everyday thousands of vehicles pass through Goshamahal and due to the narrow roads, there is a frequent traffic jam.

Speaking to The Hans India, Laxminarayan Rathi, a wholesale trader from Begum Bazar said, "Since Nizam period the road has not been widened in the area, though several representations were given to the civic authorities urging them to propose a new road plan for the area till now not even a single road plan has been taken up. Thousands of people from districts visit the market and all lanes connecting Begum Bazar witness heavy traffic congestion." Many other parts of the Goshamahal constituency are facing the same issue, including Chudi Bazar, Maharajgunj, Siddiamber Bazar, Feelkhana.

Locals have been urging the authorities to take up the expansion of these roads for 30 years and widen the road from single lane to double lane but till now there is no response from the authorities. Moreover, Goshamahal constituency MLA T Raja Singh also demanded the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to release funds for the road development works, if not he said he will stage a dharna at GHMC head office.

Locals are demanding the GHMC to resolve the problems which they have been facing for several years.

A resident of Dhoolpet said, "Once the road is widened, even artisans will have a smooth way to transport idols and the market will have a new look."