Work begins on IIIT Hyderabad multi-level flyovers; Gachibowli commuters brace for delays

At the IIIT Hyderabad junction, where a stream of red tail lights stretches for hours each morning and evening, the first concrete pillars have begun to pierce the skyline. For lakhs of commuters who inch past this crossing every day, the sight of construction is both a disruption and long-awaited relief.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has begun work on a ₹500 crore overhaul of this junction, to turn one of the IT corridor’s most congested intersections into a signal-free interchange by May 2028.

The plan includes a level 1 bi-directional flyover from ISB Road to DLF Road and level 2 semi-circular flyovers linking DLF Road to Gachibowli Stadium and ISB Road to Indira Nagar. Beneath them, the underpass connecting Indira Nagar and Gachibowli Stadium will require excavation across 18 to 21 metres of carriageway.

Preparatory work is underway. Three to four pillars have already been raised on the Lingampally road for the landing of the flyover from DLF Road towards Gachibowli Stadium. Gachibowli Traffic Inspector Gona Suresh said construction began on the wider flank to limit immediate disruption. The stretch IIIT Hyderabad junction towards Lingampally currently has 3-3.5 lanes on each side, giving engineers some room to operate without halting traffic entirely.

Construction of multi-level flyovers progresses on the busy IIIT Road near the Gachibowli junction in Hyderabad on Friday.
| Photo Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G

The underpass construction will pose the biggest traffic challenge as digging six lanes at a time means carving out a substantial portion of the carriageway. To prepare for that, authorities have begun relocating utilities and trees.

“Either side of the stretch is lined with trees, and land acquired from IIIT includes substantial greenery. Tree transplantation has begun after securing permission from the Tree Protection Committee. After this, power cables will also be removed and possibly shifted underground to avoid future disruptions,” the official explained.

Once excavation begins, as per the plan shared with the traffic police, 2-2.5 lanes will be retained on either side to keep traffic moving, albeit slowly, during peak construction. Need-based diversions will follow. Vehicles from Lingampally may be routed via Masjid Banda village to merge near the Botanical Garden and rejoin the Gachibowli road.

A diversion ahead board at the IIIT junction.
| Photo Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G

Once work reaches the core of IIIT Hyderabad junction, traffic signals will temporarily disappear. Motorists will be required to take short U-turns and travel a slightly longer distance for a brief period. Officials admit it will not be seamless, but insist the inconvenience will be temporary.

Flyover construction is relatively less intrusive. Pillars are being erected along the central median, requiring a margin of around 10 feet or 1-1.5 lane for equipment and materials, while remaining carriageway stays operational. The main constraint is DLF Road, which is narrow and misaligned, ending nearly 15 metres short of the junction and forcing staggered movement of traffic approaching from Lingampally and DLF Road. Property acquisition and road widening are under way to ease the bottleneck.

An estimated 4-5 lakh commuters pass through the IIIT junction every day. Official figures suggest around 2.6 to 2.8 lakh vehicles move between Lingampally and Gachibowli daily, while the ISB–DLF road stretch handles roughly 1 to 2 lakh vehicles per day, two-way. During peak hours, stretching from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., motorists spend around 10 minutes at the junction, often waiting through multiple signal cycles.

Motorists inch through traffic snarls as construction of multi-level flyovers progresses on the busy IIIT Road near the Gachibowli junction in Hyderabad on Friday.
| Photo Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G

For many, delays have already worsened. T. Ashok, a regular commuter travelling between HCU and the city says the junction has become unpredictable. “Even during peak hours, I used to cross in under seven minutes, especially with the free-left from DLF Road towards C.R. Rao Road being managed well. Now it takes over 10 minutes,” he says. “When approaching from DLF side, I often reroute via Masjid Banda to avoid getting stuck, but that adds to my travel time.”

The road used to open up after the IIIT Hyderabad junction and traffic would ease. With reduced space, it’s already getting chaotic, he added.