Hyderabad: The pothole riddled S.P. Road (opposite Anand theatre), coupled with the negligence of an RTC bus driver, claimed the life of 70 year old S. Narayan Rao at Begumpet on Monday morning. The same stretch had claimed the life of 17 year old Riya Godiyal in June 2013, who was on a two wheeler, approximately at the same spot (right opposite the Anand theatre). Commuters said that the heavy rains and poor execution of road repairs were responsible for the death.
While, the GHMC says that the road belongs to the Road and Buildings department, the R&B department cites lack of funds to maintain the city unit. Traffic inspector S. Sudharshan said, “The deceased, S. Narayan Rao, a retired BHEL employee, was run over by a bus while he was getting off from the front. The traffic police had not put any official diversions on Monday and the driver took the diversion since there was heavy traffic due to the damaged road. The RTC driver, who reached the diversion point, changed the path of the bus and the victim, who was unaware of the diversion routes, got confused and tried to get down from the moving bus and came under its wheel.”
The incident resulted in a massive traffic jam from the damaged Panjagutta flyover to Patny Circle for almost an hour. The bus was kept at the jam-packed road till the body was moved to the hospital. Traffic cops were later seen filling up the potholes with road sand for temporary relief. Last year in June, Riya Godiyal of Old Bowenpally had died at the same spot as she and her friend were retuning from a coaching class at Begumpet on a Honda Activa. Her friend Vishal, who was riding the two wheeler, lost control after the front wheel landed in a pothole and Riya fell and came under the wheels of a government bus.
During the past weekend, waterlogging was reported in several parts of the city and several low-lying areas were inundated. According to the GHMC emergency cell, heavy waterlogging was reported on Raj Bhavan road, Lakdikapul, Begum Bazaar, M.J. Market, Bank Street, Koti and at Lower Tank Bund, among other places. Nizam College, Nallakunta, Chaderghat, Indira Park, Bus Bhavan, Golconda crossroads, Shankarmutt, Fever Hospital, Vengal-rao Nagar, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, TD headquarters (Banjara Hills) and Road No. 45.
