Wrong-Side Driving, Poor Roads Make City Stretches Unsafe
Hyderabad: Careless driving, especially among those traveling on two-wheelers and cars, taking the wrong route for fear of minimal enforcement, has made many areas in the central and eastern parts of the city increasingly unsafe. A ground check in multiple areas revealed that this was not an act of indiscipline but was also a result of poor road conditions and faulty traffic movement design. In many cases, even car drivers were found to resort to wrong-way driving, citing reasons such as damaged roads, missing infrastructure and long detours as reasons for violations.
In Tarnaka, locals noted that reckless driving was particularly common near the entry and exit points of flyovers, where drivers chose to travel a short distance of about 200 meters on the wrong side rather than following designated routes.
Prashanth, who travels towards Chengicherla on a daily basis, highlighted the frequency of violations on his route. “I work in Chengicherla area and there are many violations on that road. Since there is less traffic on one side of the road, people use it instead of the congested section along the median,” he said. Another passenger described his daily journey as “hell” and pointed out the incomplete flyover on the Uppal-Narapally section as well as the danger of over-speeding and wrong-way driving. “There are almost no traffic police to regulate the situation. People are either speeding or coming from the wrong side, making the situation extremely risky,” he said.
Noting similar problems, a female passenger said that many drivers only obey traffic rules when they see a police officer, and when the inspections are out of sight, they return to violations. A private employee also cited issues with traffic management during cricket matches at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, stating that congestion has worsened further.
significantly during such events. He noted that heavy vehicles increase chaos, especially when drivers are unaware of distractions. “ORR entry points should have prominent signage indicating alternative routes,” he suggested.
A traffic police officer observed that most commuters did not want to take a slightly longer but safer route, but preferred to go to the wrong side instead of covering an extra kilometer. He stated that this was due to the urge to save time and bypass congestion, especially where one side of the road was empty. “People choose convenience over obedience. They take the wrong route to reach faster, even if it means risking their own and others’ safety,” the officer said, adding that such behavior only leads to violations and attracts challengers. HE
He noted that while sanctions have been intensified, sustainable behavioral change among commuters remains a challenge.l
Referring to traffic management during matches at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, the officer said the situation has become particularly hectic due to the increase in vehicular movement. Although traffic is largely regulated through direction and staffing, commuters have expressed concerns about the movement of heavy vehicles on these routes. Addressing this issue, the officer explained that almost 90 percent of heavy vehicles are restricted to the outskirts of the city to avoid congestion. However, the remaining 10 percent enters the city and causes bottlenecks, especially during rush hours and large events, further exacerbating the traffic problems experienced by the public. However, unless commuters prioritize safety over convenience, violations such as wrong-way driving will continue to pose a serious threat to urban road users.
