Bus Breakdown Brings Traffic On Fatimanagar Flyover To A Standstill
An RTC bus breakdown on the Fatimanagar flyover stranded hundreds of commuters for over an hour in Kazipet on Wednesday evening, highlighting the need to expedite construction of a parallel railway overbridge.
Warangal: The breakdown of an RTC bus on the Fatimanagar flyover brought traffic to a standstill in Kazipet on Wednesday evening, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded for over an hour.
The bus, belonging to the Hanamkonda depot and travelling from Warangal towards Kazipet, developed a mechanical snag on the flyover, disrupting movement on the busy stretch.
Vehicles piled up on both sides, with congestion extending up to REC on one side and Rahmath Nagar on the other.
Several railway passengers rushing to catch their trains were forced to leave their vehicles and walk towards the railway station with their luggage.
Police diverted traffic through a one-way system and regulated vehicle movement after receiving information about the congestion.
Traffic returned to normal after the stranded bus was brought down from the flyover with considerable effort.
The incident is not isolated.
The Fatimanagar flyover, a key link on the Warangal-Hyderabad National Highway, experiences severe traffic congestion almost every day.
The growing population and increasing number of vehicles, without a corresponding expansion of road infrastructure, have turned the stretch into a major bottleneck.
During morning and evening peak hours, traffic queues extend for kilometres.
Even a breakdown of a heavy vehicle or a minor accident on the flyover disrupts movement across the entire stretch.
A parallel railway overbridge had been proposed to ease pressure on the existing flyover.
Administrative approval for the project, estimated to cost `78 crore, was granted in 2017, and the construction began in 2021.
However, work has been delayed due to several factors, including construction of the bridge section over the railway tracks.
The traffic pressure on the existing flyover and the delay in completing the parallel bridge have caused hardship to Kazipet residents.
Railway passengers, students, employees and people travelling for emergencies are among those affected.
Wednesday’s bus breakdown has once again highlighted the problems caused by the dependence on the existing flyover.
Residents have urged the roads department and railway authorities to coordinate and complete the remaining works at the earliest.
They said police diversions during traffic jams offered only temporary relief.