HYDERABAD: Stuck in the grind of a chaotic 22-km daily commute, a young professional, Arun Bathula, found himself locked in a cycle of road rage and arguing endlessly with reckless drivers. But a simple suggestion from his wife sparked an extraordinary transformation.
From frustrated commuter to the iconic ‘Hyderabad Road Warrior’, Arun traded arguments for education, donning a reflective jacket and wielding a megaphone to personally remind fellow drivers about helmets, stop lines and responsibility, one traffic light at a time.
Speaking to TNIE, Arun, who is an environment manager with Nirmaan Organisation, a non-profit focused on sustainable development, says he and his wife, Swetha, would drive 22 km from Ramanthapur to Madhapur, where they both work.
In August 2024, frustrated by the chaos on the roads — red lights ignored, helmets skipped and rules flouted — Arun, a stickler for road safety, found himself arguing daily with rule-breakers. Exhausted, he considered giving up — until Swetha offered a new approach: “We can’t fight everyone. Why not talk to them instead?”
That conversation was the turning point. The couple began stopping at signals, politely reminding fellow commuters to wear helmets and follow rules. “To my surprise, people listened, some even thanked us,” says Arun.
From that small step emerged the idea of The ‘Hyderabad Road Warrior’. Arun created a distinct identity: a reflective jacket, body cam, megaphone, traffic baton and even a logo. His car and moped were stocked with ropes, radium tapes, reflectors and caution tape. He started recording his outreach, blurring faces, and posting videos on Instagram (@hydroadwarrior) and X (@arun_bathula).
“For over a year now, I’ve been documenting my efforts. Between Ramanthapur and Madhapur, people now recognise me. Around 50% of the commuters I see greet me or follow the rules more consciously,” he says.
United as family
It’s now a family effort. Swetha is fully involved and their three-year-old daughter has become a mini safety enforcer, often asking, “Papa, did you wear your helmet?”
Arun’s workplace supports his road safety work, and the values he promotes spill into his professional life, through lake clean-ups, plantation drives and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives across the state.
Though unaffiliated with any government body, Arun works closely with local traffic police. In the past six months alone, he’s reported over 3,500 traffic violations with photographic evidence. During rains, he assists police in clearing waterlogged roads to keep traffic moving.
Pushback has been rare. “Some ask why I bother. But most understand. Small changes matter,” he says.
Looking ahead, Arun hopes to build a team. “This isn’t a one-man job. I’ve invited volunteers on social media. We need more people to make our roads safer.”
In a city where indifference often rules the roads, the Hyderabad Road Warrior reminds us that change begins with one person and one conversation at a traffic signal.