Why lessons from Hyderabad’s KBR faux pas must inform our future
The Government appears to have realised the futility of more road infrastructure only after the stretch around the park was converted to one-way traffic to facilitate the structures
Two months ago, Jayesh Ranjan and R.V. Karnan, officials from the Special Chief Secretary's office and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, respectively, faced questions from students and professionals during an urban mobility panel discussion. The conversation centered on the city's deteriorating road infrastructure, the lack of public transport, and restricted pedestrian options.
The officials struggled to provide satisfactory responses, revealing a disconnect between policymakers and the daily struggles of citizens. Less than two months later, it was announced that the planned seven flyovers and underpasses around KBR National Park would be replaced by two elevated corridors. This decision came after the felling of trees for construction, leaving a barren stretch of road.
The project, part of the Hyderabad City Innovative and Transformative Infrastructure (H-CITI) plan, has been criticized for its lack of consideration for the environment and the priorities of the government, which have been revealed as favoring private transport over public options. The push for more road infrastructure began under the Strategic Road Development Plan, initiated a decade ago, which has resulted in over 40 structures costing more than ₹7,000 crore.
Despite the failures of these structures to alleviate traffic congestion, the government has continued to prioritize building more road infrastructure, disregarding the negative impacts on the environment and the city's liveability.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
