Hyderabad: Traffic curbs on Bahadurpura stretch take toll on RTC services

Hyderabad: The traffic restrictions imposed by the Cyberabad police on the busy National Highway-44 dubbed as Bangalore highway, have come as a blow to the parents and students living in colonies alongside the stretch from Aramghar to Puranapul.

The traffic advisory issued by the Cyberabad police due to ongoing construction of two bridges at Bahadurpura and from Zoo Park to Aram Ghar imposed restriction on the movement of heavy vehicles such as goods carriers, containers, RTC buses. This has left the parents high and dry as the RTC buses that help their children reach the schools will no longer be available for them at least for three months due to restrictions.

"Only this month saw the full-fledged reopening of schools after a gap of two years and the traffic restrictions were imposed. As it took me at least one hour to reach my office, I usually embark on a journey early in the morning leaving my school going children completely relying on RTC buses from Shivarampally bus stop. Now, as the buses were also made part of the traffic curbs I am unable to find a way out. The auto drivers, no doubt, would take advantage of the situation and make us pay through the nose. The only way out is that the police should exempt RTC buses from the restriction," argued Ramesh, a resident of Shivrampally working in Secunderabad area.

There were hundreds of colonies flanking either side of the Bangalore Highway from Aram Ghar to Puranapul and the herd of students can be seen flocking to schools from early morning using RTC mode of transportation every day.

Besides, the traffic restrictions also take a toll on small traders who used to visit Shamshabad every day to get the vegetables to sell them in their own colonies. As the RTC buses may not be available for at least three months, they have to rely largely on seven-seater autos to bring the veggies home.

Meanwhile, no measures were so far taken by the traffic police to implement curbs on the first day of the restriction as heavy vehicles were seen keep on moving from Puranapul to Aram Ghar. Heavy vehicles like goods carriers, lorries, containers and RTC buses were seen as usual making their way into the busy Bangalore Highway road.

When contacted, the Circle Inspector Traffic Police Rajendranagar Shyam Sunder Reddy said, "Although the Cyberabad police have issued a traffic advisory on account of ongoing construction of flyovers on the busy National Highway-44 imposing traffic restrictions over the vehicular movement from November 15, the rudimentary arrangements would take more two to three days to bring curbs on Aram Ghar to Puranapul stretch. We have to roll out gears like cine boards and barricades on designated places besides deployment of traffic volunteers to guide the passengers."

Further elaborating about the traffic curbs, he said, "We have identified two diversion points one at Aram Ghar and another near OKR Yellamma Temple u-turn via Katedan and Durgana Nagar to divert the heavy vehicles like goods carriers, containers and RTC buses. Heavy vehicles coming from Shamshabad and Old Kurnool Road to reach Puranapul via Bahadurpura would be diverted towards Mailardevpally further leading to Bandlaguda, Mahbubnagar Cross Road, Chandrayangutta, Saidabad and Nalgonda Cross Road. However, light motor vehicles like cars, autos and motorcycles as usual can hold the path as the curbs are confined mainly to heavy vehicles."