Express Highway to New Hyderabad Airport. Sorry State of Affairs.
Field Report -Guchibowli to Shamshabad along the proposed Express Highway Route
.........Exclusive Ventures -October 2008
Express Highway to Airport. November 2008?!!!
Recently a news clip in Deccan Chronicle claimed that Express Highway from Shamshabad to Guchibowli will be thrown open on 14th November (View DC News Dated 27th September). Since then, we have received several queries from members to confirm whether this is true and if so whether there would be rise in demand in APPA area.
Based on physical inspection of the work in progress along the route, we wish to allay all doubts! There is a long way to go to reach stage of connectivity. We still believe, that 2011, as mentioned in our earlier reports is the earliest possible target, unless there is drastic change in manpower and equipment moblization.
Low Deployment of Manpower and Machinery
A visitor to the Road Project, will be struck by lack of manpower and machinery. Its, as if the Contractors have lost interest and are just scrapping around. There are bridges /culverts to be made at several places.
The worst stretch is from Aziz Nagar to Rajendranagar Hillocks. Here, the Road runs parallel to Himayat Sagar on elevated platform and then enters into the Hill. The Hillocks need large scale rock cutting and excavation, even now. Almost 2 Km stretch is in a very bad shape. We can not expect connectivity unless this stretch is completed since there is no way, a bypass can be built. The Terrain is very rugged with rocks and sloping hills.The way work is going on (at such slow pace), we can not expect this portion to be ready before 2011.
The Hillock Portion of about 2 Kms also would require building of embankments on either side. This could be as high as 30 to 50 feet or more...We do not think that Traffic will be allowed in this section, by Road Safety Authorities, without embankments. There is danger of sides collpasing on to the road. Building Emabankments itself, could be a long, 1 year Project. The embankment work can not be started, unless the entire Hillock area is totally excavated, debris removed and Road levelling done.
No Bypass is possible
The Roads used by Material Handling Trucks are extremly dangerous, narrow and in terrible condition. In fact there is no scope even now to access Shamshabad from Rajendranagar along the Express Highway route, due to the long, Rugged Hillocks, except by walking which is extremely tiring.
Express Highway to Airport. Segment wise Outlook for Connectivity
[Assuming only 4 Lane Road, instead of 8 Lanes as planned, we expect the Connectivity to be established as follows, based on the BAD progress of work- View Pictures Below.]
Guchibowli to Nanakram Guda - December 2008
Nanakramguda to Puppalaguda - March 2009
Puppalaguda to Narsingi - May 2009
Narsingi to Manchirevula - June 2009 (except Flyover across Gandipet Road)
Manchirevula to APPA - April 2009
Hence Guchibowli to APPA - JUNE 2009 Without flyover across Gandipet Road
APPA to Kismatpur Excluiding APPA Flyover - June 2009
Kismatpur to Rajendra Nagar Hillocks including Bridge upto Hill - October 2009
Rajendra Nagar Hillocks (Deep open tonnels with Embankments) - January 2011
Rajendra Nagar Hills to Bangalore Highway - October 2009
Bangalore Highway to Airport (connection) - June 2009
Hence to APPA Airport- January 2011 or Later depending on mobilization of workers / machines etc
Hence Connectivity from Guchibowli to Airport with 4 lane roads- January 2011 or Later
Expansion of Residential Zones for Hitec City / Guchibowli Affected
The growth of residential localities along Express way to Shamshabad has been seriously affected due to the delay in Express Highway.
In 2007, when new projects were announced, the booking rates were only around Rs.2000 to Rs.2200/sft. While the road delayed, the land prizes increased, which has made new projects costlier. Faster roll out would have seen people booking and migrating to localities like APPA.
But due to delay in connectivity, buyers have been forced to look for homes in Nizampet Road, Miyapur etc creating even more crowding there.
Unfortunately, the early moving advantage when land prices are cheap, is lost. However, those who have booked in this areas at lower rates will reap benefit though the projects will be delayed. In the long run, there has to be growth along Guchibowli-Shamshabad corridor. But the delay has already forced several projects (Residential as well as Commercial) to be shelved or postponed and when they come back, the rates would be much higher than originally planned.
OCTOBER 2008 - PICTURES OF EXPRESS HIGHWAY WORK BETWEEN GUCHIBOWLI TO SHAMSHABAD Click Pictures to Zoom
Culvert to be built and Road connected near L&T Serene Towers, at the starting point beside Guchibowli
Nanakramguda Underpass. Expect work completion by December 2008.
Bridge at Puppalaguda. Almost 400 Meter Approach Road work is pending due to the large bridge which is under construction. Expect Completion by March 2009
One more View of Puppalaguda Bridge
There is no connection towards or across Gandipet Road at Narsingi. Expect Completion of Road without Flyover, by 2009 March. The Flyover to cross Gandipet Road has not even been started. It will take at least 15 months if they start work now.
This is the continuing mess at Manchirevula immediately across Gandipet Road. It will be a surprise if this portion is completed by April 2009.
Another View of Manchirevula Mess. For almost 500 meters, road is to be built from scratch together with culverts and bridges.
Manchirevula Road formation -preliminary work which should have been done in 2006!
OOPS! They are still breaking Hillocks near Manchirevula and the road level is still not reached, over large distance. Its impossible to travel across, except by walk or by Bike.
No significant work has been going on at APPA Junction, since last March. The road is not connected since the huge flyover/changeover work has NOT started yet. May take more than an year. But, if they want, a bypass can be built temporarily by 2009 April. BUT there is no use of such an arrangement since further ahead, work will take 2 years to complete.
From APPA to Rajendranagar. Major Bridge work is pending at Kismatpur to allow flood water from Himayat Sagar to flow. (Sorry...No photo of this!). The Photo above shows the huge skyway which runs from Kismatpur in to Rajendra Nagar Hillocks. The Skyway has to merge with the DEEP open tunnel in the Hillock. This is major work and we expect completion only by last quarter of 2009.
Unless you physically observe by trekking up the steep hills, you will not believe when we say that work can not be done before 2011. 2 Km long undulating Hillocks, within which the contractor is trying to develop deep gorges to lay the road. The work simply has not been able to push ahead, due to bad terrain and offcourse limited manpower and other resources.
There is NO WAY that anyone can move from Rajendranagar to the other side, except by rigorous trekking. Its extremely tough and only a very healthy person can survive the trek! When we are told that connectivity will be available by November, obviously it means that all Air passengers, have to trek across the dangerous cliffs / and gorges where one can slip and fall 500 feet, down to the plains or in to Himayat Sagar Lake. Pic1Pic2
Why is the public not being informed of the Actual Expected Completion?!
The fact is that the Govt has no clue as to what is happening on this Project and hence do not have truthful information to give! Govt is possibly fed crap by people who are afraid to face the REALITY. May be they are afraid that they would get fired for the shoddy work. So news is leaked once in a while, saying that work will be completed in next 3 months or 6 months and slowly push the matter ahead, without getting fried!!
If you look at it from another angle, it shows that the Govt has little REAL information on important matters. And its failing to get the true status. If it has no clue on Express Highway right with in Hyderabad, it would not have any clue on 1000 other projects or Govt programs.
Whether its Health, Education, Drinking Water or Preparedness against Terror, the truth within will be no different. Govt will have little TRUE INFORMATION, to assist or protect People.
Let's Hope someone in the Govt/HMDA or other Agencies, with a little soft corner for the PEOPLE, will see this Report and seek clarifications from his Colleagues. Lets hope the Govt will act and try to provide connectivity to airport from Guchibowli, earlier than 2011!!
