Hyderabad: MD Lines and 7 Tombs Roads in Ruins for Two Years, Residents Suffer Unbearable Hardships Due to SNDP Works

Hyderabad: MD Lines Road and 7 Tombs Road have been in a state of devastation for the past two years, causing immense difficulties for the residents.

Hyderabad’s Tolichowki area is one of the busiest locations in the city. It is home to numerous colonies, and the roads leading to Qutb Shahi Tombs and Mohammadi Lines (MD Lines) are flanked by several affluent neighborhoods, with a population of hundreds of thousands.

Residents of these colonies have been facing unprecedented hardships for the past two years due to the extensive and deep excavations carried out under the Strategic Nala Development Program (SNDP). The purpose of these excavations is to lay underground pipes.

Both MD Lines Road and 7 Tombs Road are extremely busy. Thousands of people from Golconda, Afsar Khan Colony, Ahmed Colony, Baghdad Colony, Company Bagh, and Langar Houz use MD Lines Road to reach Tolichowki and Mehdipatnam. Similarly, people from Manikonda, Gulshan Colony, and Alkapur also use these roads to reach these destinations.

Every day, thousands of buses, cars, auto-rickshaws, motorcycles, and bicycles traverse these roads. The large pits dug for the development work have left very narrow passages for traffic, making it impossible for even two motorcycles to pass simultaneously in some places.

In the mornings, thousands of schoolchildren travel to their schools by car, auto-rickshaw, motorcycle, and bicycle, and their parents and auto drivers face immense difficulties navigating these roads. The remaining parts of the roads are not fit for driving, yet people are compelled to use them because they have no other option—whether it’s for school, college, work, or emergencies like hospital visits.

The condition of nearly the entire 7 Tombs Road is similar. Where the Bayer Seed Company once stood, thousands of flats have been built, and all residents are forced to use this road.

Last Ramadan, an elderly man tragically fell into a deep pit on this road and lost his life. The dreadful condition of these roads not only causes accidents but also health issues for the people. Pollution leads to respiratory diseases, and the rough roads cause back, neck, and spinal problems. Additionally, vehicles suffer damage, with breakdowns becoming a common complaint.

Businesses, shopping complexes, and commercial establishments along these roads are also severely impacted. The livelihood of auto drivers on the MD Lines Road from Moti Darwaza to Tolichowki has nearly come to a halt.

The SNDP work on MD Lines Road began in October-November 2022 and is still ongoing, while work on 7 Tombs Road started in January-February 2023.

The progress on both roads has been extremely slow. Work happens one day and then stops for several days. Giant machines block the roads, making it difficult for people to pass through.

This work is being carried out by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) with the assistance of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB). Under SNDP, 37 projects have been initiated within GHMC limits, but there seems to be no interest in their timely completion.

Political leaders, on the other hand, appear indifferent to the suffering of the people. In areas with a majority Muslim population, there is no one to heed their plight. Whether it’s a posh colony or a slum, no Muslim political leader seems to feel the need to expedite developmental works and provide relief to the public, despite repeatedly winning elections from these areas.