Date:29/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/29/stories/2007112960730300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Erragadda-BHEL road-widening on the cards

GHMC seeks NHAI help for 200 ft road

The project could cost up to Rs.50 crore
254 properties are likely to be affected on either side of the road

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has now set its sight on widening National Highway Nine from Erragadda to BHEL to 200 ft as per the master plan.

Having already taken up widening from Khairatabad to Erragadda for up to 150 ft on its own, it has posed the cost of taking up the remaining road to the National Highways Authority of India relating to structural and land compensation as well as for shift of utilities.

Plan prepared

GHMC has already prepared a road development plan for the 14 kilometre stretch and estimates too. Commissioner and Special Officer C.V.S.K. Sarma presided over a meeting of senior officials of Roads & Buildings, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) and APTransco on Wednesday to discuss the project.

Widening of the road has become imperative since the traffic has been increasing and vehicular congestion has become a daily affair. Two hundred and fifty four properties along with a few religious properties were identified on either side of the highway as likely to get affected during widening.

Hiccups

Additional Commissioner K. Dhananjaya Reddy (Planning & Projects) said that the project could cost up to Rs.50 crore and it was a huge burden on the civic body to take it up alone.

Hence other departments were being sounded. “We have spent about Rs.20 crore for widening the road up to Erragadda on our own,” he pointed out.

Save for a few bottlenecks at Balanagar and Moosapet crossroad, there would not be much of a problem in widening the road since there are service roads beside the main road, he said.

As per the development plan, three channels below the footpaths on either side would be provided for telephone and power cables to avoid digging in the future.

Proposed facilities

Storm water drains, ornamental shaped road divider, model street lights, tree plantation, culverts, causeways to facilitate movement of vehicles to residential colonies, bus bays, auto stands, etc., are being proposed for the road. Work is likely to be firmed up after a joint field inspection of all departments.

The NHAI is involved in widening highway from Miyapur.