COVID lockdown aids road infra projects in Hyderabad

Quite a few projects which remained unfinished due to lack of road clearance could be expedited due to the curfew imposed

The lockdown imposed on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite denting the revenues of GHMC, proved to be a blessing in disguise when it came to projects and maintenance of road infrastructure during the year 2020.

Quite a few projects which had remained unfinished due to lack of road clearance could be expedited due to curfew imposed during lockdown, and deserving the foremost mention among such projects is the cable-stayed bridge on Durgam Cheruvu. The 735.639-metre bridge connecting Jubilee Hills with the Hitech City was finished and inaugurated during the Unlock phase of the lockdown period, with an expenditure of ₹184 crore. It was built as part of the ₹25,000 crore Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP).

Other projects which were completed during 2020 under the SRDP include the flyovers on Road No.45, at Biodiversitiy Junction, LB Nagar Junction, and Nagole Junction, besides an underpass at the LB Nagar Junction. Road widening in Amberpet, Balanagar, and Uppal areas too has been taken up after property acquisition, in coordination with Roads & Buildings, and HMDA. In order to develop alternative road network in the city with least component of property acquisition, the corporation’s Town Planning wing has led the design and development of missing link roads during the year.

In the first phase, a total of 37 stretches constituting missing links between major thoroughfares have been identified, which have been handed over to the Hyderabad Road Development Corporation (HRDCL) for development.

Road maintenance

One more infrastructural service to have benefited from the lockdown was Comprehensive Road Maintenance Project, under which 709 km of major road stretches have been handed over for private maintenance for five years, with a cost of ₹1,839 crore. Taking advantage of the lockdown, the concessionaire agencies have started re-carpeting, lane marking, footpath maintenance, and other works on 300 km of road stretches, a statement from GHMC informed. Of them, re-carpeting of 250 km has been completed before April 31. As part of the junction beautification project, the junctions at Ashoknagar, Purana Pul, Rajiv Gandhi Statue, Ramantapur, Kawadiguda, Suchitra, IDPL, Liberty, Necklace Road, Neredmet, Miyapur, L.B.Nagar, AS Rao Nagar, Uppal, Ali Cafe, Praga Tools and Borabanda busstop have been developed.

On the Sanitation front, GHMC has decided to start Secondary Collection & Transport points or mini garbage transfer stations at 60 locations. Accordingly, a total of 197 modern vehicles including self compactors, high capacity automated static compactors, and high capacity sealed containers have been procured, the statement said.

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