For half a year now, one of Hyderabad's most critical infrastructure links, the Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge, has been plunged into darkness every night. This vital 700-meter stretch, which serves as a primary gateway connecting the city's major IT and multinational corporate hubs, has been operating without functional street lights, forcing thousands of tech professionals and daily commuters to navigate with dangerously poor visibility.
A Daily Hazard for Thousands of Commuters
The situation has created a severe safety crisis. With pedestrians often walking on the bridge in the dark, the risk of accidents has skyrocketed. The problem is most acute during the late-night hours when traffic from offices in areas like Gachibowli and HITEC City is at its peak. Commuters report that the complete lack of illumination on this prominent landmark makes even a small error potentially catastrophic.
Jashwanth Reddy, an employee at a financial firm in Gachibowli, highlighted the daily danger. "We slow down not because of traffic, but because we cannot see the road clearly. With so many vehicles speeding from office hubs, the darkness is dangerous, especially in winter when fog and mist further reduce visibility," he said. The bridge's dark history, which includes reported suicide incidents, makes proper lighting critical not just for navigation but also for surveillance and preventive safety.
Expired Maintenance and Official Response
Frustrated citizens are questioning why such a high-profile project lacks basic safety measures. Many point out that while they pay taxes and tolls, essential amenities like lighting are neglected. Their irritation is compounded by the fact that temporary lights are routinely arranged for VVIP movements, proving the authorities are aware of the risk but choose not to address it for regular taxpayers.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has acknowledged the issue. Officials from the civic body's electrical wing in the Serilingampally zone admitted the problem began after the five-year maintenance period for the bridge expired. Following this, maintaining the sophisticated lighting system became a challenge.
A senior GHMC official explained the technical breakdown: "The bridge's controllers and drivers had become non-functional, as had nearly 6,000 LED lights, rendering the entire lighting system inoperative. Without a maintenance contract, we are unable to carry out comprehensive repairs."
A Promise of Restoration Within a Week
However, there seems to be a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered commuters. The same official stated that a fresh maintenance contract is being finalized and is expected to be in place within a week. "Permanent restoration of the lighting system will then be undertaken," the official assured, while confirming that temporary clamp lights are used during VVIP movements to ensure their safety.
The ongoing six-month ordeal underscores a larger issue of infrastructure maintenance in rapidly growing urban centers like Hyderabad. As the city's tech corridors expand, the reliability of key connectors becomes paramount for both safety and economic productivity. The resolution of the Durgam Cheruvu bridge lighting issue will be a critical test of the municipal corporation's commitment to citizen safety over ceremonial convenience.
