SCB Sits On Road Widening Projects

Deccan Chronicle

It has been two years since experts conducted a study and recommended 
widening of the two roads up to 80 feet.The existing width varies from 
30 to 40 feet. 

The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has been delaying the widening 
of two important roads that link Secunderabad with Safilguda, Kapra, 
Alwal and Malkajgiri Traffic jams are a routine affair on these roads 
where over one lakh vehicles ply. 

It has been two years since experts from Hyderabadbased Jawaharlal 
Nehru Technological University conducted a study and recommended 
widening of the two roads at least up to 80 feet. The existing width 
varies from 30 to 40 feet. 

Apart from razing a few buildings along the roads, the project has 
mostly remained on paper Widening of the two link roads — one from 
Secunderabad Club to Safilguda railway gate and the other from 
Mahendra Hills to Bison Gate — would have also eased traffic 
congestion on the Rajiv Rahadari. 

Mr Kishore Kumar, a resident of Sai Krupa Enclave in Safilguda, said, 
“My office is on RP Road. Apart from having to drive on the narrow 
road with many vehicles moving around, we get stuck up for 15 to 20 
minutes at the Safilguda railway gate. SCB officials had promised a 
road-overbridge would be constructed at the railway gate. However, 
nothing has been done for the past three years.” The roads in question 
are also riddled with potholes. 

Many accidents involving two-wheeler riders have occurred at night due 
to these potholes, some of which are two-feet deep. Matters are 
worsened by the absence of streetlights along these roads as they pass 
through defence areas. 

“It is a defence area. But over the years the civilian population has 
outnumbered defence personnel and their vehicles, may be by 2,000 
times or even more. Lakhs of civilians use these roads and so 
streetlights are a must. Officials should find a solution for this,” 
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, a resident of Shantinagar in Kapra, said SCB 
officials were only supposed to acquire civilian and defence 
properties along the two roads. But it was the Hyderabad Metropolitan 
Development Authority which had to spend money to widen them. However, 
the SCB has not acquired any property along the roads proposed to be 
widened.