Vaishali Nagar underpass reopens to two-way traffic, may cut journeys by 30 minutes

A 30-minute shortcut: Vaishali Nagar underpass in Hyderabad’s Miyapur brings relief to daily motorists

The Vaishali Nagar Railway Underpass in Miyapur has reopened to two-way traffic, giving motorists between Chandanagar and Hyderabad’s IT corridor a more direct route towards Hitec City and Gachibowli.

The change follows nearly four months of road widening, drainage work and repeated traffic diversions at the underpass.

For thousands of motorists, the reopening could reduce journeys by up to 30 minutes, particularly during peak hours, by removing the need for longer detours through Allwyn Junction and the Hafeezpet flyover.

Two-way movement replaces the earlier bottleneck

The upgraded underpass connects My Home Mangala Road with Manjeera Pipeline Road.

It now has two clearly demarcated lanes, separated by a row of red-and-white flexible bollards, allowing vehicles travelling in opposite directions to pass beneath the railway tracks at the same time.

Height-restriction barriers have been installed at both entrances, while concrete retaining walls and drainage grates have also been added along the widened carriageway.

The drainage improvements were intended to address waterlogging, which had been one of the persistent problems at the site, particularly during heavy rainfall.

Before the upgrade, the narrow passage operated as a one-way facility.

Traffic from one direction had to be stopped when vehicles approached from the opposite side, frequently creating queues and delays during the morning and evening peak hours.

The earlier arrangement made even a short stretch near the underpass time-consuming for commuters travelling between residential neighbourhoods around Chandanagar, Hafeezpet and Miyapur and employment hubs in the western IT corridor.

According to Cyberabad Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-I) S. Ravi Kumar, the two-way facility would improve connectivity between Chandanagar, HITEC City and Gachibowli.

He also said it would reduce congestion on alternative routes through Lingampally and the Hafeezpet flyover.

Approximately 15,000 vehicles use the junction daily, according to the DCP, making the underpass an important link in the surrounding road network.

The upgraded facility is expected to distribute that traffic more efficiently instead of forcing vehicles towards already congested alternatives.

Commuters report shorter journeys

An officer from the Miyapur Traffic Police said motorists heading towards the IT corridor earlier had to travel through Allwyn Junction and use the Hafeezpet flyover.

“Earlier, commuters had to travel through Allwyn Junction and take the flyover. Now, the underpass has made their journey much easier. During peak hours, motorists can save around 30 minutes, while during normal hours, the time saved is approximately 20 minutes,” the officer said.

The time saving is linked to the shorter and more direct connection between the residential areas and the western employment corridor.

The earlier route through Allwyn Junction, Hi-Tension Road and the Hafeezpet flyover had added to congestion on roads leading towards the IT corridor during the closure.

Trilok Pandey, a software developer and commuter who regularly travels between Chandanagar and Hitec City, said the earlier crossing could take 15 to 20 minutes even over a short distance.

“Earlier, even a short stretch near the underpass would take 15 to 20 minutes to cross. During the closure, we had to go all the way around through Hafeezpet flyover. Now, with traffic moving in both directions, it has become much easier, especially during office hours,” he said.

Amit Dubey, a private employee, said the diversions had been frustrating and that the work appeared to continue for a long time.

“But looking at the widened road now, the wait appears to have been worth it. We no longer have to take the longer route through Allwyn Junction,” he said.

Prolonged restrictions followed repeated extensions

The project was undertaken by the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation to address the narrow carriageway and frequent waterlogging at the underpass.

Traffic diversions were initially introduced from July 16 for 20 days.

The work was not completed within that stipulated period, leading to successive extensions, including another 29-day restriction period.

A further extension was imposed from September 3 to 16.

Even after the road widening and stormwater drainage works were completed, restrictions continued from October 8 to 14.

That final restriction period was required to allow the newly laid road surface to cure and attain adequate strength.

The Miyapur Traffic Police officer said rainfall and contractor-related issues had contributed to the delays.

During the closure, motorists were diverted through Allwyn Junction, Hi-Tension Road and the Hafeezpet flyover, adding pressure to routes towards the IT corridor.

Discussions on social media platforms also reflected uncertainty over the available routes, with motorists exchanging information about diversions through Hi-Tension Road, Hafeezpet and adjoining junctions.

Despite the prolonged inconvenience, commuters largely understood the reasons for the restrictions and cooperated with the traffic advisories, the Miyapur Traffic Police officer said.

With the underpass now carrying traffic in both directions, the immediate change for motorists is the removal of the earlier stop-and-release system that had limited movement through the narrow passage.

The reopening also restores a direct connection between My Home Mangala Road and Manjeera Pipeline Road while reducing dependence on longer routes through Allwyn Junction and the Hafeezpet flyover.

Source: The Hindu