Protesters Seek Road Repairs, Lighting at Karimnagar Cable Bridge
The protest drew attention to serious safety issues at the Cable Bridge, which the leaders described as a “death trap” caused by official negligence and poor construction
KARIMNAGAR: Leaders of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) staged a road blockade and protest at the Cable Bridge in Karimnagar district, demanding urgent road repairs and the installation of adequate street lighting.
The protest drew attention to serious safety issues at the Cable Bridge, which the leaders described as a “death trap” caused by official negligence and poor construction. As a symbolic act, the protesters performed a ritual to ward off bad luck by breaking a pumpkin at the bridge.
Speaking on the occasion, Bandari Shekhar, district general secretary of the AIFB, said the Cable Bridge, the second of its kind in South India, was hurriedly and incompletely inaugurated in 2023 by the previous BRS government, though construction began as early as 2018.
He criticised the current state government, noting that despite Karimnagar having three state ministers and one Union minister, there has been no progress in the development around the bridge, which was once a flagship project. The road on and near the bridge is riddled with potholes, leading to 15 accidents and three deaths so far.
Shekhar blamed officials from the municipal corporation and R&B departments for the bridge’s poor condition, citing negligence and corruption. He pointed out that the absence of proper maintenance and incomplete features such as footpaths have turned the project into a continuous safety hazard.
The leaders demanded immediate resurfacing of the road, installation of high-mast lights at the bridge junction, beautification of the area, and a comprehensive inquiry into alleged corruption in the Smart City development projects.