Parallel bridge ready, not open

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Hyderabad: The new parallel bridge at Lakdikapul has turned out to be a disappointment for motorists.
 Even two months after  completion  at a cost of Rs 14 crore, it has not been thrown open to traffic, adding to the ire of   motorists fuming over  official apathy.
Motorists   suspect that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation bosses are waiting for the Chief Minister to inaugurate the new bridge.
“The GHMC should not wait for  grand inaugurations as thousands of motorists use the stretch   daily. The new bridge will ease traffic congestion to a large extent on this stretch,” said S. Zeeshan, a resident of Mehdipat-nam.
“We all have  the government  to thank for allowing GHMC to sit on the new bridge that could have been thrown open to motorists two months back,” said P.V. Rao, an advocate. 
Many motorists said that every day they look at the new bridge and regret the fact that they cannot use it. 
“The Lakdikapul parallel bridge is a classic case of insensitivety of the official machinery to citizens’ problems,” said M.R. Gupta, a businessman.
However, officials said the delay in the inauguration of the bridge is not due to the civic body waiting for the Chief Minister to give a date.
“There are some properties that have to be acquired. Throwing open the bridge without acquiring these properties and widening the road  would not  serve the purpose of  easing traffic congestion. By month-end the properties will be acquired, demolished and the road widened,” a GHMC official said.