An online petition calls on the Telangana government to “unblock” roads in Hyderabad
A group of urban planners, transport professionals and citizens urged the Telangana government to suspend new flyover and road widening projects in Hyderabad and shift priority to public transport, saying the addition of road capacity has failed to provide lasting relief from congestion.
In an online petition (‘ addressed to the Governor, Chief Minister and senior officials of various government departments and civic agencies, the signatories called for a review of ongoing infrastructure works, including projects under the Hyderabad City Innovative and Transformative Infrastructure (H-CITI) and Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP).
Titled ‘Let’s Choke Hyderabad’, the petition proposes a series of measures to improve the city’s mobility within six months. Move people rather than vehicles, the petition says, emphasizing public transport, walking and cycling as essential modes of mobility.
The petitioners argue that road expansion has encouraged the use of private vehicles without bringing about lasting improvements in traffic speeds. As reasons for reassessing the city’s transport priorities, he cites the increase in the number of private vehicles, insufficient public transport and difficulties faced by pedestrians and cyclists.
The signatories called for a comprehensive audit of existing interchanges based on their impact on different road users, cost-benefit ratio and air quality. They also called for the publication of transport studies, feasibility reports, cost-benefit analyzes and environmental assessments before major transport projects are approved.
To improve the affordability and accessibility of public transport, the petition proposes restoring bus and subway fares to pre-2022 levels, introducing an affordable common ticket for different modes of public transport, ensuring live tracking of transit services and restoring the Multimodal Transport System (MMTS) to 2019 service levels.
Other proposals include acquiring new buses, increasing the frequency of metro trains, combined feeders connecting metro and MMTS stations to major employment centers, introducing bus priority lanes, improving bus stops, and providing safe crosswalks and bicycle parking at transit stations.
In order to increase road safety, the petition recommends tightening penalties for dangerous driving, canceling left turns at intersections, replacing turning in the opposite direction with signalized intersections, improving public lighting, and ensuring barrier-free pedestrian and bicycle paths on roads under construction or repair.
The proposals also include pedestrian zones in selected commercial areas, an end to free on-street parking, restrictions on parking in buildings and an increase in road tax on private vehicles. The signatories called for the creation of a dedicated department for non-motorized transport and the allocation of a budget for new road infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and related facilities.
The petition argues that Hyderabad’s transport planning should focus on the movement of people rather than vehicles, with public transport, walking and cycling considered as the main modes of mobility.
Signatories to the petition include urban transport and policy specialist Prashanth Bachu, climate justice activist Tushar Marpaka, urban systems engineer Varun Phadke and development consultant Natasha Ramarathnam, among others.
Published – 23 Oct 2026 21:09 IST