Hyderabad: In the bustling residential pockets of Vasavi Nagar in Karkhana, part of the cantonment area, the daily commute has become a test of patience and safety.Residents allege that roads laid nearly 15 years ago have seen little to no maintenance since, resulting in severe deterioration marked by potholes, blind bends, unmarked speed bumps, and malfunctioning street lighting. As of early 2026, locals say there has been limited official intervention despite repeated complaints.The stretches connecting residential colonies to schools, temples and markets resemble uneven patches of asphalt riddled with craters. Two-wheeler riders are among the worst affected. Several residents report frequent skidding incidents, particularly at blind bends where visibility is compromised by sharp turns and poor lighting.“The roads were laid around 15 years ago, and since then there has been virtually no maintenance. Many people have fallen from their bikes because of potholes and badly designed speed bumps,” said Ram Kumar, a resident of Shantideep Colony in Vasavi Nagar. “A small stretch of road here has 10 to 15 speed bumps, most of them without any reflective paint or signage. It is dangerous, especially at night.”Adding to the chaos is the unscientific placement and design of speed bumps. On certain stretches, residents claim that low-clearance vehicles frequently scrape their undercarriages due to excessive height and improper levelling. Streetlights along these damaged roads are either dim or non-functional, compounding the risk for motorists and pedestrians alike.Sharma, a temple priest from Laxmi Nagar who commutes daily for rituals and community events, described the situation as both hazardous and disheartening. “This is not just an inconvenience; it is a safety issue. Devotees, elderly residents and children use these roads every day. With blind bends, broken patches and no proper lighting, accidents are waiting to happen. We have been raising concerns, but nothing concrete has happened so far,” he said.Residents argue that the infrastructure decay is not recent but the result of prolonged neglect. They point out that patchwork repairs, if any, have been temporary and poorly executed, often disintegrating within weeks. With vehicular traffic steadily increasing in these residential areas, the strain on outdated road surfaces has intensified.When TOI contacted, an engineering official from the civic body acknowledged awareness of the complaints but indicated that action is contingent on administrative directives. “As of now, there are no such proposals or instructions regarding these particular stretches. We will proceed once instructions come from higher officials,” he said, suggesting that bureaucratic processes may be delaying on-the-ground improvements.For residents of Vasavi Nagar and Karkhana, however, the wait continues. In a locality that has witnessed rapid residential growth over the past decade, the state of basic road infrastructure stands in stark contrast to the community’s development aspirations.
