Hyderabad’s Tarnaka junction reopening trial extended; public opinion evenly split

Commuters at the junction under the Tarnaka flyover in Hyderabad, which was reopened for traffic flow. File
| Photo Credit: G. Ramakrishna

Hyderabad’s Tarnaka junction, barricaded for nearly a decade, was thrown open on a trial basis from April 18. And the jury’s still out about the change. Initially slated to end on May 2, the trial has now been extended, but the outcome remains as tangled as the traffic it’s meant to ease.

The junction was reopened to assess how it would affect vehicular flow between Lalapet and Osmania University. But according to officers on the ground, the results have been far from conclusive. “We’re still deliberating whether to keep it open or shut it permanently,” said an officer from the Nallakunta traffic police.

Public opinion evenly split

The Hyderabad Traffic Police even turned to social media for public opinion, conducting a poll on X (formerly Twitter). The response was evenly split: 50.9% voted in favour of keeping it open with a signal, while 49.1% preferred it closed. But on the ground, the picture is less balanced.

“About 90% of the comments we’re receiving are against keeping it open,” said the officer. “There’s congestion. Opinions are split, and the poll isn’t enough — most locals aren’t even online.”

Minor accidents reported regularly

Traffic police posted at the junction described increasingly difficult conditions. “Even on India Premier League (IPL) match days, when the junction was closed, it took over two hours — from 7.30 to 9.30 a.m. — to clear traffic because of VIP movements and match-related vehicles,” said an officer. “Now with it open, minor acc

idents/commotions are being reported regularly. Pedestrians are at risk.”

A bottleneck

Field officers echo the concern. “Everyone tries to take the flyover, and it becomes a bottleneck. Especially near pillar number 1040, which is right in the middle of the road between the flyover and a petrol station,” said a traffic officer posted at the junction. “We’re already seeing minor accidents. It slows traffic down and endangers pedestrians.”

This junction creates a bottleneck as commuters try to access the flyover, said another officer. “We have more officers here than anywhere else in the city, but it’s still a daily struggle. I’ve shouted myself hoarse trying to direct vehicles,” he said.

Strain bearable as schools are shut

With schools shut for summer, the strain is somewhat bearable. But officials shared that it could double once academic institutions reopen in June. “DPS Nacharam alone has 30 to 35 school buses,” said one official on the ground. “We’ll keep it running until then, but we might be forced to shut it once schools reopen.”

Public opinion

Adding to the public opinion, T. Balaji, known as the Telangana Weatherman on X, posted his own experience, sharing that it now takes him 10-15 minutes to cross the junction, compared to just 3-4 minutes before the reopening. His post generated a slew of comments, many from local residents who expressed frustration with the junction’s reopening. One user said, “I stay in Tarnaka. Imagine my plight every day! The road from OU to ECIL hasn’t been expanded, and the flyover is as narrow as it always has been. And now they’ve reopened that signal after around 13 years.”

Another user questioned the rationale behind reopening the junction, noting that there hadn’t been any road extensions, underpasses, or new flyovers, and traffic density had likely increased fivefold since the junction was last closed. “It would be better to close this junction on weekdays and open it only on weekends, like Saturdays and Sundays, or alternatively, maintain timings similar to Mindspace Junction during peak hours,” suggested one.

“I can’t agree more. Yesterday, it took me over 20 minutes to cross. My dad almost missed his bus because I was dropping him. Why was it even opened to begin with?” asked another frustrated commuter.

“I too face the same problem when I go to Moulali for NPTEL exams,” shared yet another netizen, highlighting the widespread nature of the issue.