Rs 6 crore steel bridge at Banjara Hills to cut graveyard chaos

HYDERABAD: It took a horrific road crash that killed 10-year old Ramya and her grandfather in July 2016 and two years for officials as nowhere was this “steely” resolve more in evidence than on Road No 3, Banjara Hills — one of the busiest stretches in the city — where a new steel bridge will come up between the foot overbridge (near TOI office) and Chutneys restaurant in the next six months.

Senior officials told STOI that formalities like allotting a portion of the graveyard and land acquisition of business establishments en route the stretch have been completed and tenders have been floated for what would be the city’s first steel bridge. “Families of those buried in the graveyard have given their consent to our proposal for the steel bridge. They only asked us not to affect the burial monuments and structures which have been maintained for more than five decades,” a senior GHMC official told STOI.

Once tenders are finalised, notices will be served on owners of the properties which will take a hit. Nearly 50 per cent of Chutneys property will have to be pulled down as part of widening of the road. Apart from this, a few other properties will also get affected. Executive engineer, traffic and transportation, GHMC, Venkat Reddy told STOI, “GHMC will spend Rs 6 crore on the mighty structure and floated tenders. It will take at least six months to complete the bridge but our aim is to complete the structure within four months.”

Sources said the project got the much-needed thrust with municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao’s push to construct the bridge without losing a single inch of the graveyard land. While the GHMC moved ahead with its plans and negotiated with the ancestors of graveyards, the popular restaurant management and others had objected to parting with the land for the project. “The steel bridge will serve twin purposes. It can come in handy to clear heavy traffic volumes during peak hours, while motorists can also use the existing road,” claimed a GHMC official.

The GHMC had put forth the steel bridge proposal on June 21 before the standing committee, which waved the green signal. Road management experts hope this new bridge will not only ease the traffic gridlocks often seen on this stretch but also ensure faster commute for thousands of motorists passing through the arterial road.

If the officials have their way, all traffic woes bothering the commuters all these years should come to end by December/January, said sources. “Traffic coming from Madhapur and LV Prasad Eye Institute and proceeding towards

Punjagutta

via

Nagarjuna

Circle is often stopped whenever there is VIP movement. That would be a thing of the past once the steel bridge is in place,” a traffic cop added.

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