The newly inaugurated 1.3-km Bachupally flyover has brought long-awaited relief to thousands travelling between Miyapur, Bachupally, Nizampet, Mallampet, Bowrampet and Gandimaisamma, cutting travel time across one of the city’s busiest junctions. But less than a month since its opening, commuters say ongoing road widening works at both ends and concerns over sharp curves have prevented the project from delivering its full benefits.

Inaugurated on June 8, the flyover stretches from Mamata Academy of Medical Sciences (MAMS) near Bachupally X Roads to Sikhara Villas, bypassing one of the busiest traffic bottlenecks in north-west Hyderabad.

Residents say journeys that once involved waiting for more than 20 minutes at the Bachupally junction during peak hours now take just five to 10 minutes. “The flyover has benefitted locals in Bachupally a lot. Those travelling towards Hafeezpet and Miyapur can now go directly without getting caught up at the junction while local vehicles can continue to use the road underneath,” said Mohammad Faruq, a local vendor.

The improvement is also being felt by commuters travelling longer distances. Nishant, a software professional from Kompally, said his commute from Miyapur was cut by more than 10 minutes after Google Maps directed him onto the new flyover.

“Earlier, I took the Mallampet exit and used the Outer Ring Road to avoid the busy Bachupally junction. That journey usually took about an hour. This time I reached Kompally in just 48 minutes using the flyover,” he said.

The corridor serves as a crucial link for students travelling to educational institutions in Pragathi Nagar and Gandimaisamma, employees working in industrial areas such as IDA Bollaram, Mallampet and Kazipet, and thousands of IT professionals commuting to Hyderabad’s western technology corridor.

According to the Miyapur Traffic Inspector, at least 1.5 lakh vehicles ply this flyover every day. The route also serves as the main entry and exit point for hundreds of residential communities along the Miyapur-Bachupally stretch.

However, while traffic now moves faster on the elevated corridor, commuters continue to encounter congestion immediately before entering and exiting the flyover. “The flyover saves time, but once you get down you are back in slow-moving traffic because the adjoining roads are still under construction,” said one commuter.

Road widening works on the 15-kilometre Miyapur X roads to Gandimaisamma X roads corridor remain under way, creating bottlenecks at both ends and below. Officials said the widening of the stretch between Sri Nagulamma Temple and Miyapur X roads has been delayed because of pending land acquisition while work on the remaining sections is continuing.

Along with the speed come safety concerns. Two accidents have been reported on the flyover since its inauguration. On June 12, a lorry rammed into a car, injuring the 62-year-old woman driving it. In another incident, four cars were involved in a chain collision. Police attributed the accidents to “sharp curve” on the flyover.

Several commuters said the sharp curves at both ends of the flyover require motorists to slow down despite the wider carriageway. “I travelled on the flyover at night, and the turns at both the beginning and end felt quite sharp. Drivers need to be extra careful,” said another commuter.

Nishant also felt riding quality could be improved. “The road surface feels patchy in places, and the ongoing construction makes the stretch difficult to navigate,” he said.