Hyderabad: The construction of walls near Begumpet Railway Station and RK Puram service road has disrupted the daily lives of residents in the area. These walls have blocked commonly used routes, making it difficult for people to commute freely for work and other activities. Residents are now struggling to find alternative paths to reach their destinations.
A few months ago, the railway authorities built a wall near Begumpet Railway Station to stop people from crossing the tracks. While the wall aims to reduce accidents, it has caused significant problems for around 1,000 domestic helpers living in Matajinagar and Brahmanwadi. For decades, these women have been working in over 2,500 households in Methodist Colony, Umanagar, and Kundanbagh. They used to cross the tracks to get to work, but now they are forced to take a much longer route, adding about 2 kilometers to their commute.
The situation is similar at RK Puram service road, where a wall built ten years ago has created challenges for lakhs of commuters. They are forced to travel longer distances to reach their destinations. Robin, a resident of RK Puram, expressed his frustration, saying, “It would be better if the officials provide an alternative route or remove the wall.”
Lavanya, a domestic helper, shared her struggles, saying, “For months, we have been taking long routes to reach work because of the wall. We’ve repeatedly asked railway and state government officials to provide temporary access across the railway tracks until an underpass is completed. But the issue remains unresolved.”
Major Shiva Kiran, vice president of the United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (UFERWAS), highlighted that this problem is not limited to Matajinagar and Brahmanwadi. He noted that during a field survey, large sections of the tracks near Raj Bhavan’s MS Maktha to Begumpet were found unwalled. However, priority was given to blocking access used by domestic helpers. He also pointed out that garbage has been intentionally dumped in some areas to prevent access.
Kiran urged authorities to work on alternative solutions. “The suffering of the residents can be eased if officials, along with members from UFERWAS and the railways, take proactive steps to address the issue,” he suggested.
