HYDERABAD: Incomplete road repairs on Pattharghat Road, from Gulzar Houz fountain to Madina Circle are causing inconvenience to motorists, particularly during Ramzan, when Madina market sees a surge in footfall.
Previously, the 350-metre stretch had two central divider railings, each separated by a 4-5 feet gap with trees planted between them.
As part of a road-widening project, officials removed one of the railing medians and planned to extend the road up to the remaining median. However, this has left an open 5-foot trench between the road and the median, which has remained unattended for nearly four months, according to local shopkeepers.
When TOI visited the site, the unfinished stretch had turned into an unofficial parking lot for two-wheelers and a dumping ground for garbage.
“The dug-up section was meant to expand the road, but no work has started yet. Vehicles have partially fallen into it,” said Radhe Shyam, an elderly shopkeeper in the locality.
The congestion at Madina market, already a daily struggle, worsens during Ramzan as makeshift stalls occupy half the road. “Navigating through this mess is a nightmare,” said P Babu, a commuter.
Auto-rickshaw driver Feroze Khan explained how the broken road is exacerbating traffic snarls. “This road originally had three lanes, but now, with the encroachments and the incomplete work, only a single lane is functional. Traffic that used to pile up for 500 metres now stretches over a kilometre towards Charminar.”
While GHMC officials claimed that the work is under the jurisdiction of the Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA), a QQSUDA official denied any ongoing roadwork, leaving residents frustrated over the inaction.