Hyderabad: Lockdown helps GHMC speed up flyover works

Hyderabad: Amid lockdown, the works of Bahadurpura flyover on NH-44, which have been moving at a snail's pace before the lockdown, have gained momentum. Eight pillars have been grounded during the past one month.

"Ever since the lockdown, in the absence of any traffic hurdles, we are able to erect another eight piers that had been pending for several months," informed Dattu Panth, executive engineer, GHMC Project Wing. Works could make a great progress as men and material could be deployed from neighbouring states to ratchet up the pace," said the official.

The long-awaited bridge was proposed under the Strategic Road Development Program (SRDP) 2018. Foundation stone was laid by MAUD Minister K T Rama Rao. The overall project cost stands at a whopping Rs 69 crore, which includes laying of approach roads and other utility costs (Rs 23 crore).

"Out of 13 pillars, four of the piers so far had already raised and one pillar was at ground level. We took up grounding of another 8 pillars during lockdown and would complete it till ground level in a week. If all goes well at the same pace, the project will become a reality in next 8 to 9 months to facilitate smooth traffic flow," informed Mallikarjun, project manager, BSCPL.

However, the worrying part is that if the lockdown is lifted anytime soon, the busiest highway would witness traffic snarls and the incomplete works would choke the 75ft wide stretch for 2 km from Puranapul to Cross Road Bahadurpura. "Barricades right in the middle of road narrow down the stretch for almost 2 km. If the lockdown was lifted soon, the situation would turn volatile as a sea of vehicles will proceed at painfully slow pace on the murky road," said Mir Mushtaq, a resident of Shivrampally.