High Speed ORR Turns Risky as Vehicles Parked Illegally

Hyderabad: Illegal parking on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) continues, despite several accidents the stationary vehicles have caused, even though there is a blanket ban on stopping or parking vehicles along the 158-km stretch. Travellers say that while ORR authorities once conducted regular patrolling, such checks are now largely absent.

The speed limit on the ORR is 120 kmph, and illegally parked vehicles pose a severe risk as drivers approaching at high speeds cannot anticipate or gauge a stationary obstacle in time.

The ORR, operated by concessionaire IRB Golconda Expressway, witnesses up to 2.1 lakh vehicles each day. Asked about the parking issue, an official from the firm said, “Our patrolling staff are photographing the violators and forwarding the details to the police.”

He added that IRB, along with the HMDA and the police, launched a month-long safety awareness campaign on November 5 titled ‘Parking is Unsafe on ORR’, aimed at educating motorists about the risks.

Officials said there are 12 emergency support vehicles, including cranes, tow trucks and large recovery vehicles, deployed for safety operations. Digital billboards along the ORR are continuously displaying safety messages to alert motorists.