Optimise The Locations: Plea for more U-turns on long stretches

Hyderabad: Disappointed with lack of proper U-turns in the City, motorists demand reopening of the closed U-turns in several busy stretches. People need to travel at least three km unnecessarily to take a U-turn in several locations such as Begumpet, LB Nagar, Kondapur, Banjara Hills.

Increasing fuel price is an add-on disappointment for motorists who are already struggling to take a long U-turn. Motorists are disappointed to travel double distance to take a U-Turn. Wrong-side driving is rampant in the City as U-turns are too long to take. Increasing fuel cost is an add-on burden on middle class motorists, where half of fuel is being wasted in taking unnecessary U-turns

Expressing difficulties in taking a long U-turn, MNR Gupta, a motorist in Gachibowli says long U-turns not only consume extra petrol and physical efforts, but also take our precious time. Where we can reach a place in 20 minutes, we are taking 10 minutes extra and reaching there in 40 minutes.

We are wasting our precious time on roads for no reason. "The way to reduce traffic congestion is planning a solution, but not creating another issue to solve a problem," he added.

"The government must understand the need for a U-turn and ensure that closed U-turns must be opened to provide relief to motorists, as fuel price is also increasing. It is affecting motorists physically and financially.

In a week we are wasting at least a litre petrol in taking U-turns which would at least save us a few hundred rupees in a month," said Sikander Farooqui, a polytechnic student of Quli Qutub Shah Government College.

With long U-turn ahead, motorists prefer to resort to wrong-side driving knowing that they need to face challans. Madhapur, Gachibowli, Khajaguda junction,100 ft Road, Hitech City Junction, KPHB, Kukatpally are the areas where a high number of violations are reported for wrong side driving.

"Driving on the wrong side of a road is considered a traffic violation under Section 119/117 of the Motor Vehicles Act and a challan of Rs 1,000 will be imposed. Maximum violations are registered by two-wheelers during prime times, between 8 and 10 am and 5 and 7 pm.

Most of them are on long stretches where people need to travel a double distance to reach a certain place," said Narsing Rao, Inspector (Traffic), Hyderabad.

Speaking on the issue, another senior traffic police officer said "to solve the problem police would shortly identify spots where wrong side driving is rampant and try to fix a possible U-turn on the stretch for people's comfort. They will be taking action against offenders and sensitise them about traffic rules."