RuB delay ‘rub’s people the wrong way

Malkajgiri: Delay in the inauguration of a long-pending Railway Under Bridge (RuB) near the Tukaram Gate is becoming a cause of concern not just for the motorists who frequently use the route to travel but also for the shop owners whose business has been shut down owing to ease traffic congestion in the area.

Proposed over three years ago, the Railway Under Bridge in the Malkajgiri constituency has still not been open to the public citing minor reparation works in and around the area. For several months, the development works have been going on at a snail-pace despite several complaints to the officials and local leaders.

Satyanarayana, an ex-serviceman residing in the nearby area explains that although the underbridge can ease out burden on other routes that go via the Safilguda railway passing, the work lag by contractors and the government causing trouble to those living in the surrounding areas.

Adding that schoolchildren and women have to walk for long distances taking the roundabout way or through unsafe and congested paths on either side of the constructed RuB, the senior army man questions as to why a government which speaks of infrastructural excellence still is in a sad state where a public road is taking years to finish.

Residents living in and around the area have also shared that every time they questioned the authorities present on the field about the opening of the underbridge, the officials would cite fund shortages or would try to convince them that it would be inaugurated the following month which unfortunately never happened.

One would be shocked to know that commuters are traveling through small openings beside the underbridge which were originally meant for drawing pipelines.

Moreover, the tunnel can only accommodate one vehicle at a time causing traffic congestions in the mornings where people have to hurry for their offices or to drop their children to school. Walking through these openings is even more dangerous in the evenings especially for working women who live in the neighbourhood. Given the space crunch in the area, even shopkeepers have closed their businesses for almost a year or so causing a severe impact on their economic conditions.

"How will a mechanic work if there's no place to keep his client's vehicles? Same goes for other shop owners who had no option but to either switch to other jobs temporarily or to shift their business to other locales in order to earn a living.

We are uncertain about when the underbridge would be completely ready but every month we are given a promise and by the end of the month it is broken too. None of them are really bothered." complained Sai, a shop owner.

It's high time that the corporators, local leaders, and government officials resolve the issue on time before it escalates to another new level!