HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has introduced mechanised greenery maintenance and plans to install an automated sprinkler-based irrigation system along the ORR.
HMDA has deployed specialised greenery-trimming machines imported from Europe, each costing about `10 lakh. Officials said a single machine can trim vegetation along 5-7 km of the ORR in a day, compared to around 10 workers taking five days to complete the same task.
Officials said the move is aimed at reducing the presence of maintenance workers on the high-speed expressway and lowering the risk of accidents. HMDA also plans to replace water tankers with an automated drip sprinkler irrigation system for roadside plantations.
Officials added that the decision follows multiple fatal accidents involving maintenance activities on the ORR. The automated irrigation system is expected to eliminate frequent tanker movement while ensuring efficient upkeep of the green corridors.
The 158-km ORR, built between 2006 and 2018 at a cost of about `8,821 crore, is an eight-lane access-controlled expressway with 22 interchanges connecting major national highways, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and key growth corridors around Hyderabad.