Rajiv Rahadari Turns Accident-Prone Stretch: 355 Lives Lost in 1,067 Road Accidents This Year

The Rajiv Highway, a crucial transport corridor connecting northern Telangana with Hyderabad, is increasingly becoming an accident hotspot. The road plays a significant role in transporting industrial raw materials and connecting important locations in neighbouring states such as Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Originally a two-lane road, it was upgraded to four lanes under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in 2007 at an estimated cost of ₹1,358 crore and was fully opened to traffic in 2014. Stretching approximately 206.178 kilometres, the highway connects Hyderabad with Siddipet, Karimnagar, Peddapalli and Godavarikhani, ending at Indaram in Jaipur mandal. According to official sources, 1,067 accidents occurred on the highway between January and the end of September this year, resulting in 355 deaths and 464 injuries. Particularly concerning is the seven-kilometre stretch between Indaram X Road and the Godavari bridge in Mancherial district, where five people lost their lives this year.

Several accident-prone black spots have been identified along this stretch, including Indaram X Road, Tekumatla X Road, Nazirpalli flyover, Indaram, the IK-1A sharp curve and the area near the Forest Department check post. Heavy vehicles transporting coal, gravel, fly ash, sand and other materials frequently use this route, increasing traffic-related risks. In one tragic incident on March 3, a lorry reportedly hit a group of people near Indaram X Road, killing a woman and another person. The victims included a senior commercial taxes inspector, a police department employee and others who were returning home after attending a Ganesh immersion event. Although the police have installed barricades, speed-control measures and warning signs to prevent accidents, violations of road safety rules by motorists continue to pose a serious challenge.