Hyderabad: The RK Puram Rail Road Over Bridge (ROB) is in poor condition despite plans for restoration. Recent heavy rains have revealed that the bridge is full of potholes and cracks. Daily commuters are frustrated and have urged the GHMC and Railways to not only fix the bridge but also extend it.
A budget of Rs 6 crore was approved for the bridge renovation a long time ago. In 2022, the GHMC hired a private agency to investigate the bridge, and a report was submitted. Despite a resolution in a recent GHMC council meeting, the project has not moved forward.
Locals and daily commuters are particularly upset because the bridge serves many people from areas like ECIL, Sainikpuri, and Neredmet. The bridge often gets very crowded during rush hour, and it is hard to travel through because it is narrow. The recent rains have made things worse with more potholes and cracks appearing.
B T Srinivasan, General Secretary of the United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations, said the bridge has become a nightmare for travelers. He mentioned that despite repeated complaints, the bridge remains unable to handle heavy traffic. The main issue is that multiple authorities are involved, including GHMC and South Central Railways. After every rain, potholes are temporarily filled, but they reappear with the next rain.
Robin, a resident of RK Puram, added that the bridge is very narrow and full of potholes. There has been a long-standing demand for either constructing another flyover or extending the current one, but these demands have not been addressed. He warned that if the issue is not resolved soon, the bridge could collapse. Simply repairing it is not enough; a parallel ROB is needed.
