RR property owners demand govt to tweak corridor design

Hyderabad: With the government-issued primary notification to acquire land to build two elevated corridors in Secunderabad Cantonment, Rajiv Rahadari Property Owners’ association has raised strong objection and demanded for the protection of their land. They urged the government to reconsider the project design and reduce the road widening from 200 feet to 120 feet.

According to the sources, a primary notification that was issued states that a total of 27,389.81 square yards land is required in the Alwal village and mandal, Medchal-Malkajgiri district for public purpose, namely, for the construction of an elevated corridor from Paradise Junction to Shamirpet at ORR Junction on Rajiv Rahadari (SH01).The Additional Collector (Revenue). Medchal Malkajgiri district is appointed Administrator for the Rehabilitation and Resettlement of the affected families. The proposed corridors will connect Paradise Junction with Dairy Farm, Suchitra, and Medchal, and the 44th National Highway, extending from Patny to the Toli Junction and onward to Shameerpet Outer Ring Road.

The property owners highlighted that it is not necessary to widen the road to 200 feet, and that only 120 feet widening is enough. The properties are a livelihood to many members, as majority of them are senior citizens and they are dependent for their food and medical needs and hence it will be better if the State Government reconsiders the road widening plan, as we have asked state government officials to re-design the plan several times.

It becomes next to impossible to cross if the road width is increased to 200 feet to build a grand-looking highway resembling the inter-state highways with 10 lanes on the ground and green spaces in between for beatification etc. It is also not feasible to build a pedestrian skyway crossing at frequent intervals along this stretch in view of the plan to build a metro rail deck also in the near future. This one reason is enough to say such super highways should not be planned in the midst of densely populated and highly developed areas in the heart of the city, they said.

Telukunta Satish Gupta, convener, Rajiv Rahadari Property Owners’ Joint Action Committee (JAC), said, “We are not against development but we are only concerned about our property that will be under threat very soon.

Many representation letters were submitted to Secunderabad Cantonment officials and also the state government to reconsider our plea. Also, in many areas, the government had reconsidered a similar decision and the same should be considered for the Rajiv Rahadari stretch.”

“Recently, in the primary notification issued by the state government, my name has appeared.

Near Thumkunta there are several other lanes where this elevated corridor can be planned. It will be better if the state government reconsiders our plea, as livelihoods and businesses are at stake due to the current road widening decision,” said Vidhyasagar, a property owner and resident of Thumkunta.