Residents have been demanding the widening of the stretch from Kandikalgate flyover to Lal Darwaza X Road via Chatrinaka and Mahankali Temple.
Hyderabad: For over two decades, residents of Lal Darwaza and Gowlipura in the Old City have struggled with persistent traffic congestion and flooding during the monsoon, largely due to narrow roads and delayed road-widening works.
After every downpour, the lanes turn into streams, making it difficult for pedestrians to pass and forcing vehicles to move at a snail’s pace. Locals say the core issue is the long-pending widening of major roads, which the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has failed to take up despite repeated requests.
Residents have been demanding the widening of the stretch from Kandikalgate flyover to Lal Darwaza X Road via Chatrinaka and Mahankali Temple. Another key demand is widening the road from Chatrinaka to Lal Darwaza via Gowlipura and Sudha Theatre, and further to Hari Bowli X Road via Khova Bela. Locals say these projects have been pending since 2002, causing severe inconvenience to commuters and residents alike.
Locals said Chatrinaka crossroads, a vital access point to Lal Darwaza, regularly sees traffic snarls, especially during festivals like Bonalu. Residents believe that completing these road-widening projects would ease traffic woes and improve overall infrastructure.
“Earlier, road-widening could not take off due to land acquisition issues. Now, even though people are willing to part with their properties, there is no budget, which is causing further delay,” said A. Jitendra, former corporator of Gowlipura. He added that with the Falaknuma road overbridge construction underway, traffic congestion on the Chatrinaka stretch—an alternative route to several key areas—has worsened.
S.P. Kranthi Kumar, another resident, said development has taken a back seat due to the poor road conditions. “The original proposal was to make the road 60 feet wide, but only 40 feet was developed, which is not sufficient for today’s population. The GHMC has not expedited the work and these roads see massive traffic, particularly during peak office hours and evenings. The GHMC must act without delay,” he said.
A GHMC official said the civic body was planning to complete the work by acquiring the remaining properties. “With several representations from the public, we are committed to resolving traffic congestion. Under the ‘Transforming Old City’ initiative, road-widening projects will be taken up not just for better connectivity but also to enhance the quality of life for residents,” the official said.
