Hyderabad: The swanky footover-bridge (FOB) constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore at Panjagutta was thrown open to the public on Wednesday. It took two years for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to complete the construction of the FOB.
The corporation authorities assured to complete the construction of another six FOBs in a few weeks. However, at all these locations, the authorities dug huge trenches to lay foundations long ago. Officials claimed that the progress of the work was hit due to fund crunch and non-cooperation of other line departments. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting rainfall for the next couple of days, the open trenches are posing a grave threat to commuters.
The number of FOBs was reduced to 36 from the proposed 52 which were to be taken up simultaneously by various departments including the GHMC and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Develo-pment Authority (HMDA).
Though orders were issued by the government for construction of all the 52, only 36 of them have been taken up in the first phase, at an estimated cost of close to Rs 120 crore. It is more than two years after the FOBs were finalised, but they are yet to take shape fully. Only half of the work started. Official blames other nodal agencies for the delay.
They said utility shifting had been the major roadblock for construction of the FoBs at several places. Overhead electrical lines, underground cables and drinking water pipelines had to be removed before the work could be started and neither Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) nor the electricity department was cooperating with the civic bodies.
Of the structures sanctioned, top priority was given to nine in Serilingampally, five each in LB Nagar and Secunderabad zones, four in Khairatabad, three in Charminar and two in Kukatpally zone. In Serilingampally, the bridges were planned at ESI Hospital, Botanical Garden, IDBI (Gachibowli), near NIA office (Madhapur), Khajaguda Junction, Telecom Nagar (Gachibowli), Chennai Shopping Mall, Madinaguda, Vijetha Supermarket, Chandana-gar, and near Yashoda Pearl Complex, Miyapur. In LB Nagar, they are located at Chakripuram Crossroads, Nagaram village, Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur, Dilsukhnagar bus stop, Kothapet Fruit Market, and Saroornagar Stadium. In Charminar, the locations are Swapna Theatre, Rajendranagar, Rakshapuram Cros-sroads, and Chandrayangutta.
Khairatabad zone will have them at Are Maisamma Temple, Langar Houz, Passport Office, Shaikpet, GVK One mall, Banjara Hills, and Hyderabad Central, Punjagutta. In Secund-erabad, they are planned at Narayanguda, Neredmt, near the old HMDA building, and at St Ann’s School at Tarnaka, St. Ann’s School, Secunderabad, and in Kukatpally, at Balanagar and Shapur Nagar. Out of five FoBs planned by the HMDA, the municipal authority dropped two, citing the viability.
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