Hyderabad Flyovers Turn Death Traps

Hyderabad: Flyovers across Hyderabad, intended to ease traffic congestion, have instead become accident-prone zones. According to data compiled from the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates, 656 accidents occurred between January 2023 and May 2025, highlighting serious safety gaps.

Data obtained by Deccan Chronicle reveal that these accidents resulted in 126 fatalities and 504 injuries during the 29 months.

These figures highlight how the same flyovers, designed to reduce bottlenecks and improve travel times, are becoming black spots — especially at night or non-peak hours — due to inadequate safety measures.

Police officials attribute the majority of these accidents to over-speeding, despite signboards limiting speed to 40 kmph on most flyovers.

Rachakonda traffic deputy commissioner of police (DCP) V. Sreenivasulu said that while signage was in place, driver behaviour remained a challenge. “Rash driving, failure to maintain lane discipline and inattentiveness are major contributing factors. Vehicles tend to speed during non-peak hours, leading to loss of control and crashes,” he said.

Although the GHMC is responsible for the installation of CCTV systems, most flyovers remain uncovered. In the absence of footage, investigators are forced to rely on traditional methods. “We examine tyre skid marks, direction of impact and vehicle damage. We also rely on eyewitness accounts and Dial 100 calls,” said a law and order police officer involved in crash investigations.

Hyderabad joint commissioner of police (traffic) Joel Davis said high-rise cameras installed on nearby buildings provided partial coverage of accidents. “There are no direct CCTV cameras on flyovers, but we monitor vehicle movement and congestion using cameras placed on tall buildings. These stretches don’t have public access points, so nuisance or women’s safety issues are minimal. Our cameras help detect accidents based on alerts like bottlenecks, congestion ahead, or ambulance movement,” he said.

These high-rise cameras are currently installed at key points including Begumpet, Masab Tank, Telugu Talli flyover, Greenlands, Punjagutta and along the PVNR Expressway. In May, Hyderabad traffic police also procured two drone cameras for aerial surveillance during peak hours and emergencies. Cyberabad police have also deployed two drones, primarily covering key IT corridor zones.

The responsibility for installing dedicated CCTV systems lies with the GHMC. At present, only the PVNR Expressway is under consideration for camera installation. Past accidents, such as the fatal crash on the Biodiversity flyover in Cyberabad in 2019, highlight the consequences of inadequate surveillance. With no cameras on the stretch, the investigation could not establish the cause of the accident and relied solely on eyewitness testimonies.

GFX:

Total Accidents on Hyderabad Flyovers (Jan 2023 – May 2025)

Hyderabad: 291 accidents (43 fatal, 235 injured)

Cyberabad: 228 accidents (54 fatal, 162 injured)

Rachakonda: 137 accidents (26 fatal, 107 injured)

Total: 656 accidents, 126 fatalities, 504 injuries

Ravi Shankar Kumar