HYDERABAD: In a big relief to motorists, the works for the last pending down ramp of the 11.50-km PVNR Expressway at Laxmi Nagar near Attapur, which was held up due to various reasons, is moving at a brisk pace. The shifting of a religious structure from the middle of the road to the corner of the road is facilitating the smooth construction of the ramp.
The foundation work is nearing completion and piers have been raised between pillars 84 and 88 of the Expressway. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has drawn plans to complete the works by the end of November this year. Sources say that the crucial down ramp at Laxmi Nagar has become essential as the intended benefits of PVNR Expressway have not been realised due to its non-construction. The traffic coming from Shamshabad airport using Expressway and heading towards Tolichowki, Gachibowli, Jubilee Hills, Madhapur and Hitec City have no option but to go all the way up to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Mehdipatnam, take a turn, and come back to Rethibowli junction.
The down ramp will reduce the travel distance from five to six kilometres and provide hassle-free traffic movement. The down ramp will land before the T junction of Rethibowli. From here, motorists can directly proceed to Tolichowki, Madhapur, Hitec City and Gachibowli. The down ramp is being taken up at an estimated cost of `3.85 crore. The work has been awarded to M Venakat Rao Infra Projects Private Limited.
The 11.50-km elevated expressway was constructed from Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Mehdipatnam to Aramghar mainly for the international airport connectivity. A total of eight ramps have been planned to facilitate motorists to get on to or exit the expressway at different places.
Of the eight ramps (four up and four down), seven have been completed and opened to traffic. They include ramps at Shivarampally, Aramghar junction, and Upperpally, and one up ramp at Lakshmi Nagar which was completed several years ago. The Upperpally up and down ramps constructed at an estimated cost of `36 crore was opened in May this year by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister, KT Rama Rao.
REDUCTION OF TRAVEL DISTANCE
The construction of the down ramp will reduce the travel distance from five to six kilometres for people travelling from the airport to Madhapur, Gachibowli and Jubilee Hills