All the vehicles are being diverted at various junctions, resulting in chaos
Alternative routes to which traffic is being diverted are unable to handle the extra rush and are getting jammed.
Hyderabad: The ongoing traffic diversions around the Hussainsagar lake for ongoing work, along with narrowing down of several roads due to ongoing Metro works, have created confusion among motorists.
Roughly two lakh vehicles pass the Upper Tank Bund each day and another 30,000 vehicles take the Lower Tank Bund road. All these vehicles are being diverted at various junctions, resulting in chaos as many diversion roads are not equipped to handle the huge traffic flow.
According to the traffic police, the Upper Tank Bund road is going to remain open on all days of the diversion, but traffic going towards Hyderabad will be diverted at Buddha Bhavan, while vehicles going towards Secunderabad will be diverted at the Marriott Hotel Road.
“There was some confusion in the morning for a few hours as people were not aware of the diversion routes. It caused some issues as many motorists avoided Upper Tank Bund thinking that it was closed. However, by the afternoon, the movement on both sides at the Upper Tank Bund was on,” said DCP (traffic) L.S. Chauhan.
Traffic was partially diverted through Domalguda, Kavadiguda and the Indira Park Crossroads. But the narrow Domalguda Road was not equipped to handle the heavy traffic from Tank Bund road. Adding to commuters’ woes was the heatwave. Heavy vehicles coming from Jubilee bus stand were being diverted towards YMCA junction, adding to the traffic load towards Secunderabad. The diversions imposed for the next nine days are expected to be extended.
The road closure is being done for laying a 2,375-mm MS trunk sewer main to divert the Kukatpally nala, as part of the purification of the Hussainsagar. Road cutting is being done between Karbala Maidan and Sailing Club (near Buddha Bhavan island). Though the Water Board has stated that May 31 is the deadline, insiders said the work is likely to extended for 15 days.
The soaring temperatures, meanwhile, made the long wait amidst slow-moving traffic and narrow alternate routes harrowing for most. “Travelling from Secretariat to Secunderabad took one and-a-half hours in the afternoon due to the traffic jam,” said commuter P. Naresh.
The traffic police has even given out an advisory on its Facebook page asking people to avoid travel between 1 pm and 5 pm due to high temperatures. “Several parts in the city recorded more than 44ºC on Friday afternoon. Doctors and the Met department have urged people to stay indoors between 1 pm and 5 pm,” read the advisory.
Necklace Road open, but sailing clubs affected:
The routes leading to the sailing clubs located on the fringes of the Hussainsagar are mainly being hampered due to roads being closed because of the ongoing work at Tank Bund. Their business activities are also likely to suffer. Visitors will now have to go via Bible House-Lower Tank Bund-Kavadiguda and then take a right towards Upper Tank Bund and then to the sailing society.
There are close to eight sailing societies, including defence and private sports authorities. Despite the restrictions, the Sailing Club Annexe at Tank Bund will go ahead with its event scheduled for May 24. The club will hold its sailing race which has attracted 25 participants for the morning session and 60 in evening session. The club manager said that on Thursday participants took the Bible House-Lower Tank Bund route. Necklace Road remains open and and business activities are unaffected.
Traffic restrictions from May 22-May 31:
No traffic permitted on Upper Tank Bund from Ambedkar statue towards Sailing Club. The stretch from NTR statue to the right is completely closed.
No traffic allowed towards DBR Mills from the Vaartha lane.
Traffic coming from Karbala Maidan towards Upper Tank Bund is being diverted towards Bible House, Kavadiguda, Lower Tank Bund. Vehicles going towards Upper Tank Bund will only be allowed via Kavadiguda.
Traffic from RP Road towards Karbala Maidan is being diverted at Bible House towards Kavadiguda-Lower Tank Bund.
Vehicles from Telugu Talli flyover towards Upper Tank Bund are being diverted towards Necklace Rotary, PV Ghat, Nallagutta and Karbala, Rani Gunj.
RTC buses will follow these diversions. District RTC buses and heavy vehicles from Jubilee Bus Station being diverted towards YMCA Junction-Sangeet-Tarnaka-OU-MGBS.
Traffic from Katta Maisamma towards children’s park is also being diverted at the Vaartha lane towards Indira Park.
Traffic from Liberty via Ambedkar statue towards Upper Tank Bund has been restricted and will be allowed towards Telugu Talli, Necklace Rotary, PV Ghat, Nallagutta and Karbala towards Secunderabad.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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