Falaknuma gets relief: New Rs 47 Cr Road Overbridge opens to ease traffic

Hyderabad: The much-awaited Falaknuma road overbridge (RoB) was inaugurated on Friday by Minister for Transport Poonam Prabhakar and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi, marking the completion of a project that had been in the works for several years.

The 360-metre-long RoB, built at a cost of ₹47.1 crore, is a joint project of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and South-Central Railway (SCR). The structure runs parallel to the older Falaknuma RoB and has been designed with separate pedestrian pathways and a new approach road to improve connectivity.

The old bridge, linking Chandrayangutta to Pahadishareef road toward Charminar, had long been a bottleneck. With rising population in the southern suburbs and an increasing number of vehicles coming from Shamshabad and beyond, the stretch could not cope with daily traffic volumes.

Residents frequently complained about long traffic snarls, sometimes stretching for over a kilometre. Heavy vehicles and buses added to the gridlock, causing delays for office-goers and even emergency services.

The idea for a second RoB at Falaknuma had been discussed for more than a decade. Proposals were repeatedly stalled due to land acquisition issues and coordination between civic agencies.

Construction finally began in 2021, but progress was slowed by the pandemic, relocation of utilities, and the need to demolish several structures on the southern side of the bridge. Only after fresh approvals and coordinated efforts by GHMC and SCR was the project completed this year.

With the inauguration, traffic bound toward Charminar from Chandrayangutta and nearby areas will be diverted onto the new RoB, leaving the old bridge to manage lighter loads. Officials expect this to cut waiting times, particularly during peak hours.

Local commuters expressed relief. “Earlier, crossing the old bridge during office time meant at least 20–30 minutes of waiting. This new RoB will save time and fuel,” said Mohammed Ahmed, a daily commuter from Pahadishareef.

In the week leading up to the inauguration, authorities completed finishing works, including demolition of encroachments, laying of new road stretches, and final touches to pedestrian spaces. Workers were seen carrying out last-minute repairs on Thursday evening before the bridge was opened for public use.