Hyderabad’s new elevated corridor reshapes a neighbourhood, one shop at a time

For decades, the nearly 500-metre stretch along Rajiv Rahadari in Lothkunta was more than just a busy roadside corridor; it was part of the neighbourhood’s daily rhythm. Residents bought medicines from local pharmacies, stopped by restaurants and general stores, while IT employees returning from nearby offices gathered at tea stalls. In the early 2000s, a small VCD and DVD shop was a popular hangout, long before OTT platforms changed the way people watched films.

Today, those familiar storefronts have been reduced to rubble as the shops are being demolished to make way for the proposed Paradise-Shamirpet elevated corridor.

Earthmovers clear a nearly 500-metre stretch along Rajiv Rahadari in Lothkunta during an ongoing road-widening project. Once a familiar neighbourhood landmark for residents and commuters, the stretch has been reduced to rubble to make way for a wider road aimed at easing traffic congestion. Video by
| Video Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G.

The transformation marks the beginning of one of Hyderabad’s largest transport infrastructure projects. Planned along Rajiv Rahadari (State Highway-1), the 18.1-km corridor will run from Paradise Junction to the Outer Ring Road near Shamirpet via Trimulgherry, Karkhana, Lothkunta, Alwal, Bolarum and Thumkunta.

Around 11.6 km of the corridor will comprise an elevated six-lane flyover while the remaining stretch will include service roads and a short underground tunnel near Hakimpet Air Force Station.

The project aims to ease congestion on one of Secunderabad’s busiest traffic corridors, particularly around the Lothkunta railway bridge, where vehicles often crawl through bottlenecks.

In Lothkunta, restaurants, medical shops, bakeries, general stores, sweet shops, tea stalls, automobile workshops and furniture stores have either been demolished or are awaiting demolition. Many had served the neighbourhood for over two decades.

Sanjana A.G., a private employee from Adarsh Nagar, remembers spending evenings at a 6×4 foot DVD shop on the main road. “It was where we bought and rented Bollywood films on Moser Baer discs and Hollywood movies. As OTT streaming took over, the owner switched to selling mobile phone spare parts. Looking back, most of the English I speak today came from the films I watched from that little shop. It was much more than just a store,” she says.

Traffic officials say construction has been planned to minimise disruption. “Construction of the flyover and the proposed Metro alignment will begin only after the service roads are completed. This is a State highway with very high traffic volume and there is simply no scope to divert vehicles elsewhere. The service roads are compulsory and will ensure traffic continues to move even while construction is under way,” says Trimulgherry Traffic ACP G. Shankar Raju.

No major traffic changes are expected during the initial phase, except temporary congestion caused by waterlogging during heavy rain, he adds. Once completed, the elevated corridor is expected to significantly ease travel for commuters between Patny, Karkhana, Alwal, Lothkunta, Thumkunta and Shamirpet. “Traffic heading towards Shamirpet will move on the elevated corridor instead of passing through internal roads. The existing bottlenecks on the narrow State highway will disappear, making travel much smoother for local commuters as well,” he explains.

Among the landmarks lost is Sri Laxmi Reddy Sweets, a popular evening stop for chaat and pani puri. “We have had this shop since 2003. Now our regular customers make the trip to our other branches in Neredmet and Old Alwal,” says M.N. Reddy, the shop owner.

The project extends beyond private businesses. The Secunderabad North Zonal Regional Transport Authority office, the Trimulgherry Traffic Police office and the Karkhana Traffic Police Station will be demolished and relocated. Several defence establishments in Secunderabad Cantonment are also affected.

Newer establishments have not been spared either. A three-year-old hospital at the Lothkunta Y-junction has been demolished while a watch repair shop near Lakshmi Kala Mandir theatre in Venkatapuram has disappeared. “I bought my first watch from there after my Class X exams in 2007. It wasn’t an expensive brand, but it felt special at the time,” said Avula Harish, a resident of West Venkatapuram.

For traders, the loss extends beyond buildings. “It is not just about reopening elsewhere,” said Kamlesh Kumar, whose wholesale edible oil business is awaiting demolition. “Fortunately, we found another place just inside the lane. We have started telling our regular customers where to find us.”

Land acquisition began in 2024, with compensation awards passed in March this year. Officials estimate the project will take three to four years to be completed.

While the corridor is expected to dramatically improve traffic flow, police officials caution that the free-flowing carriageway could also encourage higher speeds, making speed-related crashes a concern once it becomes operational.

Published – August 08, 2026 01:05 am IST