HYDERABAD: The authorities appear to have failed to study the traffic around the Charminar area before launching the Charminar Pedestrianisation Project (CPP). As a result of this, the public is forced to suffer traffic slowdowns and congestion during peak hours.
The CPP, which was planned about 20 years ago, began gaining momentum a few months ago. The authorities seem to be trying to speed up project works of late. The road leading up to the monument has been barricaded and flooring works have been taken up.
“The cops have shown immense interest in barricading the roads leading to Charminar from Gulzar Houz, Lad Bazaar, Sardar Mahal and the bus stand. At least a dozen constables have been posted at the barricades to divert traffic. But they seem to be least bothered about streamlining traffic on the alternative routes,” says Mannan Siddiqui, a resident of Syed Ali Chabutra.
When the project was first planned, the alternative routes had low volumes of traffic. But things are quite different now. “Traffic slowdowns are a regular affair during peak hours. Especially at Etebar Chowk, on Mandi Mir Alam Road, and on Khilwat Road,” complains Mirza Faizullah Baig, a resident of Shamsheergunj.
“After 9 pm, the traffic at Gulzar Houz and at the Mitti ka Sher and Roman Hotel stretch in Khilwat is completely chaotic. We have to snake through the narrow stretch in the midst of unruly auto-rickshaw drivers and vehicles that have been parked at will,” says Jitendar Singh, a resident of Shahalibanda.
Social activist Mohammad Anwar says that the traffic authorities have underestimated the traffic load on the alternative routes.
“All of a sudden traffic is being diverted to the outer and inner ring roads of the CPP, without encroachments and other hindrances being removed. The administration is only focused on improving the area surrounding Charm-inar,” he says.
When contacted, a senior traffic police official said that they had asked GHMC officials to remove the encroachments as well as electric and telephones poles on the roads to which traffic was being diverted. “We will deploy more traffic policemen after studying the situation during peak hours. Whenever we receive complaints, our personnel rush to clear the blockage,” he said.
