Osmania University to be no-go area for private vehicles soon

Osmania University: As one enters Osmania University, a board 'Private vehicles not allowed' stares at you. The board has been at the entrance for the last few months, but private vehicles still ply. The authorities are now planning to stop private vehicles from entering the campus and a committee has also been constituted.

It may be noted that ABVP also submitted a memorandum to the management to stop outside vehicles from entering the campus. The issue has been doing rounds since February 2018, and the university authorities are planning to gradually stop the entry of private vehicles from entering the campus by closing the route that connects Tarnaka to Vidhyanagar.

The increase in traffic density and accompanied safety concerns, led the university management to mull over this measure. In implementing this, they have already banned heavy vehicles and Tempo travelers into the campus from both in-gate and out-gate.

The road has been in use since ages by the commuters to travel through the university route for their destination. Though, the diverted route will also come under the premises of the university, people will miss the refreshments on the way.

"All the private vehicles will be soon banned from entering the university. Only because of summer holidays, the process is getting delayed. A committee meeting was held by the vice chancellor on Tuesday regarding this aspect and we are given strict instructions to stop all private vehicles," says N Venkateswarulu, Director for Legal Cell and Joint Director for Estate cell.

He said, "We are facing traffic jams in the university compound, which is creating a lot of disturbance to the students, and also this ban will help eradicate some illegal activities like chain snatchings." Recently, one of our staff members also met with an accident on the university premises.

Considering all these factors, we took the huge decision. It is also taken based on the rules and regulations, he said. Almost 98% of the universities don't have a road for private vehicles. Osmania will be coming in that category from now on.

The management had a meeting with GHMC officials and we are diverting road beside Osmania Police Station, which also belongs to OU," Venkateswarulu added. "We were instructed to stop tempos and lorries from entering the compound. We have no orders to stop remaining vehicles," K Kasinadh, security guard at OU out-gate.

"We have been using the road for ages. My auto stand is near the OU gate, and I stay on the other side of OU. Now, changing my route will be difficult for me, as I am habituated to go in that beautiful road. Even I feel refreshed passing on that way. They should show a perfect alternative road that is suitable for all vehicles," says Gopinath, an auto driver.

"I think it is a good step taken by the university management to protect the peaceful environment inside the campus," says Nedunuri Srinivas, managing director at V3 Media Solutions.

"Osmania is not a gated community to stop outside vehicles. We used to play basketball regularly in the grounds of OU. Now, it will be so far for us to park the vehicles outside and go to the ground. We even didn't have clarity on whether we will be allowed or not. If in case that happened, a lot of refreshment will be missing," says Vicky, a mechanical engineer at Seebec Utilities Pvt Ltd.