In a huge step aimed at enhancing urban mobility, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has conceived the idea of two new elevated corridors which will facilitate quicker and easier access from the central parts of Greater Hyderabad to the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The project is intended to ease the traffic on the current main roads and give drivers hassle-free access to the city periphery.
Two New Elevated Corridors Planned
According to HMDA officials, the proposed corridors include:
- Sheikhpet Nala to CBIT, Gandipet: A new corridor planned along the Gandipet conduit via Manikonda
- Banjara Hills to Gachibowli: A fast, elevated connecting road from Road No. 12 leading all the way up to the ORR
Apart from these projects, the elevated corridors are already being built on the Hyderabad-Nagpur route and the next Paradise-Shamirpet corridor on the Hyderabad-Karimnagar highway.
Addressing ORR Connectivity Challenges
The ORR facilitated fast transit in Hyderabad, but traffic that has been on the rise significantly turned the entry and exit points into road blocks. Drivers frequently experience long waits at the end of the ORR or when they want to go from the core areas to it. The existing streets, which are connecting the Inner Ring Road—Mehdipatnam, LB Nagar, Uppal, Secunderabad, Begumpet, Panjagutta, Banjara Hills and Masab Tank—are now experiencing heavy traffic.
In order to solve the problem, HMDA has kicked off the move to devise alternative elevated routes that will direct connect the Inner Ring Road areas to the ORR.
Gandipet–Manikonda Route Expansion
At present, commuters from Mehdipatnam to the ORR are using the old Mumbai Highway via Tolichowki, Sheikhpet, Rayadurgam and Gachibowli—those routes which are still very busy in spite of the Sheikhpet flyover. To relieve the situation, the HMDA has decided to increase the width of the existing road along the Gandipet conduit to 200 feet and at the same time create a new stretch from Sheikhpet Nala to CBIT College in Gandipet.
After the widening is done, there will be a roughly 7-kilometre-long elevated corridor projected to be built on the particular route which will allow the cars to move straight to the ORR without any traffic delays.
Expressway from Banjara Hills to ORR
The plans have also been approved by the government of the state for the construction of a six-lane expressway that will start from Banjara Hills Road No. 12 and pass through Film Nagar, Judges Colony, Durgam Cheruvu, T-Hub, and Shilpa Layout Flyover, thus connecting directly to the Gachibowli ORR.The existing Shilpa Layout Flyover will be expanded into a six-lane road.
The project includes a 6–7 km steel elevated bridge as part of a nearly 10 km corridor, with underpasses designed for uninterrupted vehicle movement. HMDA has completed a preliminary survey and is in the process of appointing a consultancy firm to prepare the detailed project report.
Paradise–Shamirpet Elevated Corridor Finalised
HMDA has finalised the contractor for the Paradise to Shamirpet ORR elevated corridor, awarding the ₹2,232-crore EPC project to Bechem Infra Project Limited. The 18.5-km corridor includes:
- 11.65 km six-lane elevated flyover
- 6.52 km at ground level
- 450-metre underground tunnel at Hakimpeta
The new year is going to see the start of construction and the project is to be completed in a period of 24 months. When the corridor becomes functional, it will eliminate the barrier for the movement of people to and fro Hyderabad from the various northern districts of Telangana like Nizamabad, Medak, Sikhim, Sircilla, and Adilabad.
According to HMDA representatives, the above-mentioned elevated corridors will be an important factor in practically changing the traffic flow, in greatly reducing the travel time and eventually connecting the core areas of Hyderabad and the Outer Ring Road.
