Poorly designed U-turns causing delays, fatal accidents: Rotary Club of Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The metro pillars in Hyderabad may have come to the rescue of traffic police in managing the traffic movement across intersections in the city. However, the commuters have been continuously complaining about the time and fuel it takes to complete the U-turn.

Echoing a similar concern, the Rotary Club of Greater Hyderabad has said despite repeated requests, no effort has been made to address the ‘scientifically unsound U-turns’ that are causing a severe disruption to traffic flow and lane discipline on city roads.

In a letter addressed to the chiefs of Hyderabad, Rachakonda and Cyberabad police commissionerates, M Vijaya Bhaskar, Director - Community Services, Rotary Club of Greater Hyderabad blamed the poorly designed U-turns for several unfortunate fatalities in road accidents.

Emphasising how the U-turns are worsening traffic conditions, Bhaskar said the absence of synchronized traffic signals at key junctions has led to increased risk for commuters particularly for two-wheelers.

He expressed frustration over the continuous use of U-turns to manage the traffic flow despite it being proven
‘ineffective and dangerous’.

“These U-turns are causing vehicles to take longer detours, adding 3-5 km to their journey, wasting valuable fuel, and increasing travel time. This is further aggravating congestion and contributing to environmental pollution,” said Vijaya Bhaskar.

The Director of Rotary Club of Greater Hyderabad stated that the traffic police of cities like Delhi and Bengaluru realised that the poorly planned U-turns were not helpful in terms of traffic flow and safety and they subsequently fixed the issue. He hoped that Hyderabad's traffic authorities would also rectify the situation.

He accused the traffic police department of ignoring the safety and well-being of commuters, especially the two-wheeler riders, who are at the highest risk of fatal accidents. He also said that the department cannot escape accountability by citing the absence of traffic policemen at signals or shifting the blame elsewhere.

“We request that your department immediately takes corrective action by reinstating proper traffic signals,
removing or redesigning the U-turns, and introducing synchronization at key junctions to ensure smooth traffic flow and safety for all commuters,” Vijaya Bhaskar added.