KBR’s new one-way loop leaves Hyd in a tizzy

The KBR stretch that connects several parts of the city is now out of bounds thanks to the H-CITI project. The new one-way traffic system has brought relief to some, frustration to many, writes Hema Singuluri

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The KBR stretch that connects several parts of the city is now out of bounds thanks to the H-CITI project. The new one-way traffic system has brought relief to some, frustration to many, writes Hema Singuluri

Hyderabad’s new one-way traffic system around Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park came into force on Tuesday bringing a dramatic change to one of the city’s busiest stretches. The roughly 5-km, six-lane corridor has been converted into a continuous one-direction loop, with conventional right turns and major U-turns restricted. The arrangement has been introduced to facilitate the construction of seven flyovers and underpasses under the Hyderabad City Innovative and Transformative Infrastructure (H-CITI) project. Authorities say the system is intended to maintain traffic movement while road space is reduced during construction. The traffic police had previously conducted trial runs and studied the route before the implementation.

Commuters Feel the Detour The first day, however, brought confusion and congestion across Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. Mitali, a 24-year-old entrepreneur who regularly travels around KBR, criticised the move, saying, “In my opinion this whole project is just passed(not really) to make the life of commuters more difficult.” She questioned why development had not produced visible results earlier and said public concerns and activist voices appeared unanswered.

Jhanvi S, a 26-year-old software employee who travels in office cabs, offered a more cautious view. She said the loop “could definitely help in managing traffic and improving the flow to some extent”, but warned that inefficient planning during peak hours could create additional bottlenecks.

Yashwanth Kumar, a 24-year-old IT employee, asked whether the plan was genuinely solving the problem or merely shifting it elsewhere. “Hyderabad deserves smarter traffic solutions, not just one-way roads,” he said.

Social Media Adds to the Debate

Social media reactions ranged from frustration to reluctant support. Users complained that journeys of around 10 minutes had stretched beyond 40 minutes, while others said the new arrangement had created double traffic.

One Facebook user urged the government to ensure timely completion of major projects, saying delays cause serious inconvenience to citizens. While another comment raised issue on "potholes around KBR Park, particularly Road No. 2, and called for repairs and bus-stop relocation."

Memes mocked the “infinite loop”, with commuters joking about taking an accidental road trip around KBR just to reach a destination across the road.

Traffic police, meanwhile, say monitoring has been strengthened. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) D. Joel Davis said the department was implementing continuous unidirectional movement around KBR, with lane changes between junctions. Temporary and high-rise cameras, along with drones, will feed information to the command and control center.” For commuters, the question now is whether the inconvenience of today will translate into the smoother, signal-free corridor promised after construction is completed.