Telangana: 700-metre bridge remains incomplete after 15 years
Residents face a four-km detour because a road-cum-rail bridge connecting Ghatkesar and Keesara has not been finished since 2012.
A 700-metre road-cum-rail bridge intended to connect Ghatkesar and Keesara has remained unfinished for 15 years, according to The Hindu. The project, estimated to cost around Rs 35 crore, was designed to reduce traffic jams caused by railway gate closures.
The project dates back to 2012, when the then Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy laid the foundation stone following a land acquisition notification. While the Railways completed the bridge structure over the tracks nearly a decade ago, the state government's portion of the work has struggled to move forward.
The unfinished bridge has split the town into two parts, forcing residents to travel nearly four km by road to reach a side located 50 metres away. The original Y-shaped design was reportedly altered into an L-shaped structure due to political considerations.
Local resident Sara Srinivas Goud said the delay has turned a short commute into a long detour. Rapolu Venkateshwarlu, a local shop owner, noted that work delays and compensation issues have affected the project since its inception.
An all-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) has been leading protests against the delay, including a recent bandh. The JAC has warned that they will close the Hyderabad-Warangal highway if the government does not respond to their demands.