Bridge of Promises, Traffic Nightmare for Warangal Commuters

Hanamkonda: The Kazipet flyover remains for years as an unfulfilled dream. Its construction remains incomplete despite occasional political involvement, assurances and official reviews.

The railway overbridge (ROB), a crucial link on the Warangal–Hyderabad national highway, is now expected to be completed in three months. However, commuters who have waited for years continue to endure daily traffic congestion.

The existing bridge at Kazipet was built in 1976. With a substantial rise in the number of vehicles since then, the old structure is no longer adequate to handle the traffic. RTC buses, lorries, two-wheelers and other vehicles travelling between different parts of the city, Warangal and Hyderabad use this route, resulting in severe congestion.

During peak hours, vehicles crawl or remain stranded for kilometres, causing daily hardships to commuters.

Rail passengers and students appearing for examinations are among the worst affected. Many struggle to reach railway stations on time and miss trains, while students risk arriving late at examination centres. Even those travelling for emergencies lose valuable time in traffic.

Locals recall incidents in which VIPs, ministers and ambulances were also caught in the congestion.

Several public representatives have promised to speed up the works, but to no avail. Construction of the new railway overbridge began in 2017. In 2020, the then government allocated Rs 78 crore, and another bridge was proposed in 2021. However, work came to a halt due to technical issues after nearly 70 per cent of the construction had been completed.

After the Congress government came to power in 2023, the works resumed. Since then, completion deadlines have repeatedly been shifted, leaving commuters waiting for relief.

Warangal West MLA Naini Rajender Reddy said fresh efforts were being made to speed up the construction. “As soon as I started as MLA, Rs 16.5 crore was sanctioned through a single bill and I took steps to expedite the work on a war footing. Construction has been accelerated over the past two days. Girders were ordered from the Bhilai steel plant in Chhattisgarh, and they are now being transported to the site,” he said.

The MLA said modern techniques were being used to install the bridge girders. Although the state government had granted the permissions, delays at the central government level had slowed progress, he said.

“Whatever the hurdles, we will make the new bridge available to the public within another three months. Our aim is to open it in the New Year,” Reddy said.

Installing the girders over the railway tracks remains a major challenge. Sources said train services might be suspended for at least a day to facilitate the work. Railway permissions, technical support and advance planning of train movements are crucial.

Timely coordination between the railways and the roads and buildings department are essential to complete the project.

Hanamkonda collector Chahat Bajpai recently inspected the ROB works and directed officials to resolve technical issues and accelerate construction. There, however, is no clarity on the remaining work, especially relating to the schedule for girder installation and when the necessary railway permissions and technical assistance would be available.

Residents say the flyover should be treated as a serious requirement for public transport, safety and time management. They hope the departments would coordinate and complete the project instead of making promises during every election and extending the deadlines afterwards.

The big question is whether the 14-year-old dream of a completed Kazipet flyover would finally become a reality within the three-month deadline announced by the MLA. For commuters, another assurance is not enough; they want the bridge completed and opened to traffic.