However, as they say, promises are meant to be broken. Especially, those made by a municipal corporation. Even as rains have been lashing the city, one can witness unabated road cutting by both government and private agencies. No action has been initiated except a penal paltry sum or sometimes just a warning.

Several main roads, including some notified thoroughfares and internal roads have been left with gaping trenches. These ditches have become death traps for motorists. In the recent rains, several cases of motorists falling into such trenches and being injured have been reported.

In the last few weeks, roads have been dug up at Ameerpet, S R Nagar, Erragadda, Vengal Rao Nagar, Chintal Basthi, Mehdipatnam, Begum Bazar, Feelkhana, Paradise, Ranigunj, Padmarao Nagar, road near Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Masab Tank, Vijaynagar Colony, Barkatpura, Nallakunta, Vidyanagar, Goshamahal, MJ Market, Khairatabad and several Old City areas.

Adding insult to injury is the shoddy restoration work. Motorists and four-wheeler drivers alike receive nasty jolts whenever they take such roads as gravel, BT and other material mixed with rain water become a sureshot recipe for road mishaps.

Speaking to Expresso, GHMC officials say that cutting of roads is banned in the city during the monsoon between June and November.

Agencies which are allowed to cut roads include Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), Central Power Distribution Company Limited of Andhra Pradesh (CPDCL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Airtel, Tata Tele Services, Idea, Hutch/Vodafone, Tata Communication Ltd (VSNL), Vision Infra Pvt. Ltd and other private firms.

During 2008-09, GHMC gave permissions for road cutting of 472 km and 100 km up to July, 2009-10 for laying water, sewerage lines, OFC cables and other service lines.

There are several other agencies which cut roads without seeking permission.

GHMC authorities say that they will swing into action if local people inform them about illegal road cutting operations. Cases will promptly be booked, they insist.

Road cutting charges for BT roads on 35 notified roads is Rs 1,040 per RMT (Running Metre), other BT roads, Rs 1,040 per RMT, CC roads Rs 940 per RMT etc.