HYDERABAD: Himayatnagar ward is an unsafe ride for motorists. Uneven manholes dot the roads providing dangerously uneven contours for riders. Driving even at average speeds on these roads can be spine shattering for motorists as there are numerous jerks due to the uneven roads.
Also, several manholes with damaged or broken covers all across the ward are a cause of concern as monsoon is round the corner. The ward does not have proper storm-water drains at several places making it prone to inundation during monsoons.
This, in turn, makes it even more dangerous as spotting the damaged manholes on these inundated roads becomes difficult. Traffic jam leading to inordinate delays are a common thing on the stretch between Narayanguda and Liberty crossroad during the monsoon.
BJP leader from the ward, Raman Goud, says, “There are 175 manholes which have broken covers and 205 with damaged covers. We have listed them and even submitted the list to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
There has been no action till now. There is also a requirement of constructing of new manholes where they don’t exist. These issues require immediate attention, keeping in mind the monsoon.” Goud added, “There are over 200 streetlights which have switch boxes without covers.”
Traffic snarls
Himayatnagar is a plush neighbourhood which has grown exponentially as a commercial hub with many well known brands of clothing, fast food joints and shopping malls opening up their stores here. This apart, there are several clinics, educational institutions, restaurants in this area. With all this, a major issue that has cropped up is that of irregular parking.
S Muralidhar, a resident of Himayatnagar, says, “Vehicles are parked all along the main road. On many occasions, people randomly park their vehicles in front of houses on the the streets. The traffic police and GHMC should find a way for the residents.” Several roads in Himayatnagar and King Kothi get clogged with autos, four-wheelers and buses waiting to ferry the school kids home. Most of the times there are no traffic cops to control the situation pushing the traffic into chaos