Mallampet choc-a-block near Exit 4A, irks locals

Hyderabad: The narrow road stretch between Mallampet ORR Exit 4A junction and Bachupally is continuously causing severe traffic congestion during peak hours, leaving residents, commuters, and local shopkeepers frustrated.

Despite the opening of Exit 4A in 2023 to improve connectivity towards Nizampet, Miyapur, Pragathi Nagar and Bachupally, residents say the surrounding road infrastructure in Mallampet has not been able to cope with the rising volume of traffic.

The stretch witnesses heavy traffic between 8 am and 10 am and again from 6 pm to 9 pm every day. Residents say even a short distance of 100 metres takes close to 20 to 25 minutes during peak hours.

“The road is too narrow for the number of vehicles using it every day. Office-goers, school buses and heavy vehicles all get stuck at the same point every morning,” said Mythili Supreethi, a resident of Mallampet.

A few residents alleged that authorities opened the ORR Exit 4A route without properly assessing the internal road network and traffic capacity of Mallampet. “The exit was opened for public use, but the surrounding roads were not prepared for this level of traffic. Proper planning should have been done beforehand,” said a commuter travelling daily towards Pragathi Nagar.

Daily commuters alleged that vehicles entering and exiting the ORR simultaneously create confusion at the junction, especially during evening hours. “The traffic piles up so badly that vehicles barely move. Sometimes there are no traffic personnel to regulate the flow, and it becomes chaotic,” said Swetha Reddy, who travels daily to drop her children at school.

Local traders complained that congestion is affecting their business, as customers avoid shopping near the market area due to long queues of vehicles. “People used to stop by for groceries and snacks while returning home, but now they just want to escape the traffic. Sales have fallen noticeably over the last few years,” said Srinivas, who runs a general store near the junction.

Some apartment owners also claimed that prospective tenants are hesitant to move into the locality because of worsening road conditions and persistent congestion.

Residents are now demanding immediate intervention from civic and traffic authorities, along with better traffic monitoring and long-term measures to ease daily bumper-to-bumper traffic near the busy ORR Exit 4A stretch.

When Jeedimetla traffic police were contacted, they said authorities are taking steps to address the traffic issues being faced by residents and commuters on the stretch.

“Proposals for road widening and better traffic management have already been submitted to HMDA and the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC). HMDA officials have also visited the site to understand the problem and look into possible solutions to improve traffic flow for the public,” Jeedimetla traffic inspector Narasimha Rao said.

Officials from CMC, when contacted, said efforts have already begun to improve the road conditions in the area, and measures are being planned to ease congestion.