Hyderabad Traffic Police and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will conduct a one-day trial of a proposed one-way traffic system at Lakdikapul on November 22, with officials set to measure traffic flow, travel time, vehicle movement and road safety before deciding whether to implement the arrangement permanently.
The proposed changes will cover the stretch connecting Ravindra Bharathi, Lakdikapul and Iqbal Minar junctions. The trial is intended to test whether redesigned vehicle movements can reduce waiting time at junctions and ease congestion in one of the city’s busy central corridors.
Under the proposed arrangement, vehicles travelling from the Old Control Room towards Iqbal Minar through Ravindra Bharathi will be diverted at Ravindra Bharathi. They will proceed through HDFC junction, the old Saifabad police station, Iqbal Minar and Secretariat junction before continuing towards Secunderabad and other destinations.
Vehicles travelling from Nirankari junction towards the Old Control Room through HDFC and Ravindra Bharathi will also be diverted. They will be directed through the old Saifabad police station towards Iqbal Minar, take a right turn and then proceed through Ravindra Bharathi.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar and GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan inspected the proposed routes on motorcycles to assess ground-level requirements and identify road engineering changes needed before the trial. Officials said junctions would be redesigned and engineering improvements undertaken to support smoother vehicle movement.
GHMC will improve road surfaces, install streetlights and erect prominent signboards along the affected routes. Utility shifting will also be coordinated with the concerned departments, according to the report. These measures are intended to ensure that the proposed diversions are visible and operationally workable during the trial.
Sajjanar said the system had been designed after a comprehensive study aimed at finding a lasting solution to congestion at Lakdikapul. The stated objectives include reducing waiting time at junctions, cutting travel time and fuel consumption, and improving road safety.
Before the trial, officials will meet local traders, residents and regular commuters to seek suggestions and address concerns about the proposed changes. Sajjanar said the one-day exercise would allow authorities to collect and analyse data on traffic volume, travel time, vehicle movement and safety.
The final decision on implementing the one-way system will be taken after officials examine the trial findings and public feedback. Until that decision is made, the proposed arrangement remains a test rather than a permanent traffic regulation.
