A film crew blocked a busy city road near T Hub in Knowledge City on an evening this week, raising serious questions about permissions for private shoots on public infrastructure. The shoot, which some identified as an advertisement while others called it a “concept shoot,” effectively rendered one side of the road unusable.
The incident occurred from 8.45 pm and continued late into the night. According to Raidurgam traffic police, permission had been granted only for the 9 pm to 12 midnight window. The shoot began earlier than permitted, marking a clear violation of the approved timing.
The traffic inspector clarified that shooting permissions are currently being issued only on weekends, specifically after 9 pm and restricted to the three-hour midnight window, preferably on holidays or when office movement is minimal. However, this policy itself has drawn scrutiny over why road blockages are permitted at all on active urban stretches.
The shoot also involved creating an artificial rain effect using water, with HMWSSB hire tanker vehicles spotted at the location. The road was left visibly wet after the operation.
GM Krishna of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board clarified that no official request was received for booking water tankers, and no tanker was supplied officially for the shoot. He explained that due to low demand, hire vehicles associated with the utility may have sourced water independently, possibly from borewells, and used it at the site.
He emphasized that hire vehicles linked to the water utility are not permitted to be used for film shooting purposes, regardless of the water source. The official confirmed that the matter would be examined and action would be taken if rules were violated.
The incident has sparked debate about the use of public roads for private commercial purposes. While peaceful protests are often denied permission citing traffic concerns, private film shoots appear to receive approvals despite causing similar disruptions.
Citizens have raised concerns about whether city roads should be treated as convenient sets for private productions, especially when civic infrastructure and resources are involved without clear authorization or accountability.
The HMWSSB has stated that it will investigate the unauthorized use of hire vehicles for the film shoot and take appropriate action based on its findings.
