Secunderabad’s roads turned into a maze of honking vehicles and frustrated commuters on Thursday as road closures and diversions for the construction of the Paradise–Dairy Farm Road elevated corridor on NH-44 came into effect. The first day of the nine-month closure tested tempers and patience alike, with confusion reigning at key junctions and traffic crawling through the city’s northern stretches.
At Balamrai, about 800 metres after the Tadbund Junction, the closure of the 700-metre stretch connecting to the Rajiv Gandhi Statue, a vital link between northern and central Hyderabad, caught many motorists off guard. Office goers were seen stopping mid-route, asking police personnel and fellow commuters for directions, while others resorted to mapping apps that couldn’t keep up with the latest diversions.
By mid-morning, Tivoli junction bore the brunt of the chaos. Streams of vehicles, diverted from Tadbund, moved into adjoining residential lanes. On the inner roads, potholes and slushy puddles turned the diversions into obstacle courses.
Confused motorists watch as Hyderabad Traffic Police regulate vehicles and block entry at multiple points near Paradise flyover as elevated corridor construction begins, leading to heavy traffic on alternate routes in Secunderabad.
| Photo Credit:
G RAMAKRISHNA
“People were understandably confused in the morning … many didn’t know where the diversion began, what route to take,” said ACP (Traffic North Zone) G. Shankar Raju, who supervised the ground operations. “By evening, the situation eased a bit as more commuters became aware of the best suited alternate routes. We expect it to improve over the next few days.”
Over 100 traffic personnel were deployed across critical points – from Tadbund to Tivoli and Karkhana – working from dawn to late evening. Officers stood amid the chaos, waving through trucks and buses while fielding questions from anxious motorists. “Buses are being forced onto narrow, uneven lanes, adding significant travel time,” Mr. Raju admitted.
Hyderabad Traffic Police personnel regulate vehicles and block entry at multiple points near Paradise flyover as elevated corridor construction begins, leading to heavy traffic on alternate routes in Secunderabad.
| Photo Credit:
G RAMAKRISHNA
“My route from Red Hills to Diamond Point is now a challenge,” said Rajeev Rao, a government employee who spent at least 18 additional minutes to get to his work. “It was never exactly smooth before, but today was a task. Maybe once the diversions settle, it’ll get better, but right now, it’s pure confusion.”
Others tried to stay optimistic. Arun Singh, a private sector employee from Bowenpally, said, “The detour adds barely half a kilometre for me, but during peak hours, that’s all it takes for chaos to build up. It’s not too bad but every minute spent on the road in this chaos is painful.”
Hyderabad Traffic Police regulate vehicles and block entry at multiple points near Paradise flyover as elevated corridor construction begins.
| Photo Credit:
G RAMAKRISHNA
M. Ramesh, a wholesale trader from Kompally, said the diversions had already begun to disrupt his tightly packed routine. “I rely on this stretch for deliveries and meetings – now I’m losing time, fuel, and patience,” he said, glancing at the line of vehicles ahead. “My commute has gone up by at least 20 minutes each way. If this keeps up, I’ll have to start before sunrise just to stay on schedule,” he said.
As the morning rush turned into an afternoon gridlock, traffic began spilling into alternate routes, chocking Tadbund, Diamond Point, Club Road, YMCA Road, and the busy junctions at Sweekar-Upkaar, Picket, and Plaza Hotel in Begumpet. Those travelling from Suchitra, Balanagar and beyond towards Panjagutta, Tank Bund and Secretariat faced particularly heavy delays. As a spillover measure, barricades were placed at multiple entry points of the Paradise flyover, restricting movement and allowing vehicles to use only the Parade Ground–Paradise flyover route.
“This was done to ease the conflict between merging streams of traffic,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) D. Joel Davis. “By 10 a.m., the conflicting flow had started causing congestion, so we decided to allow only flyover-to-flyover movement while directing other vehicles towards Rasoolpura below.”
Meanwhile, the stretch from Trimulgherry X Roads to Karkhana, already a notorious choke point, saw near-standstill traffic during the evening peak hour.
“We’ve requested HMDA to expedite the opening of the Brooke Bond–CTO link road. Once that comes into use, it’ll solve the problem to a great extent, providing efficient alternative to the closed road,” Mr. Davis said.
Traffic police have urged commuters to stay updated through their social media handles and call the helpline 9010203626 for assistance. They also advised motorists to plan ahead, start early, and familiarise themselves with diversions, a small price, officials say, for a smoother ride in the long run.
Published – October 31, 2025 07:00 am IST
