The New Indian Express 06.08.2010
City roads might stop being bumpy!
HYDERABAD: Have you been complaining of bad city roads whenever you venture out in your vehicle? Well, the next step of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation might make your roads a little more bearable. The GHMC would take up a comprehensive study on road inventory and conditions in Greater Hyderabad for having a uniform, improved, durable and safe road network on all arterial and sub-arterial roads. The roads would be designed to cater to future traffic demand for a period of 10 to 15 years.
In July, the GHMC Standing Committee gave sanction for consultant services to the tune of Rs 7.95 crore. It would be put up for approval at the third ordinary meeting of the council on Friday. After approval, it would be submitted to the state government for issuing necessary orders.Presently, majority of roads in Greater Hyderabad limits do not meet the Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards. According to GHMC officials, roads are laid in urgency to avoid inconvenience to public.
Whenever roads are damaged due to rains or indiscriminately cut by road-cutting agencies, they are just re-carpeted to avoid backlash from people and motorists, without following IRC norms.
One can easily find several roads which have been laid in a faulty manner, full of uneven surfaces and lying sometimes in a zig-zag manner. The quality also differs and the lifespan is not even of five years.
Annually, the GHMC is reported to be incurring expenditure of Rs 100 crore or more for just temporary maintenance.
