RTI exposes massive delay in SCR bridge projects in Telangana
HYDERABAD: RTI response from South Central Railway(SCR) exposes a major infrastructure failure in Telangana. Of 211 Road Over Bridge (ROB) and Road Under Bridge (RUB) projects across the state, nearly half remain unfinished. Many are stalled due to land acquisition issues, funding disputes, design changes, and poor coordination between the Railway and state government. These problems have persisted for years.
The RTI reply from South Central Railway(SCR), Secunderabad to Hyderabad-based RTI activist Robin Vinay Kumar Zaccheus shows a troubling reality. In fact, level crossings meant to be closed years ago remain open. Every day, hundreds of thousands in Telangana cross active railway tracks, facing risks these projects were meant to remove.
About half of the 211 ROB and RUB projects in the RTI reply are finished, with level crossings closed. However, the rest face various delays. Some are still preparing General Arrangement Drawings (GAD) and waiting for land acquisition. Others have completed railway structures, but the state government has not built approach roads or handed over land.
The projects span multiple railway sections across Telangana, including the Kazipet–Balharshah, Kazipet–Vijayawada, Secunderabad–Dhone, Secunderabad–Mudkhed, Jankampet–Bodhan, and Dornakal–Mughalsarai corridors. Additionally, they are spread across the Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Nanded divisions of South Central Railway.
Land acquisition is the biggest cause of delay. According to Robin, often many projects follow the same pattern that is joint inspections finish, notifications are published, and then the process stalls. Years pass while final possession notices, joint surveys, and land handovers remain pending.
Some projects received official notifications as early as 2019 or 2020, but remain unfinished in 2026. For example, the Wangapalli–Aler section shows the human cost. The Railway finished its part of the ROB in August 2016 and closed the level crossing. However, the state government did not complete the approach road. After public protests, the crossing gate reopened. Ten years later, it is still open.
In May 2024, the Telangana state government withdrew its cost-sharing consent for several projects. Officials cited a letter from the Roads and Buildings department dated 16 May 2024. As a result, this move forced many projects to shift from cost-sharing to full Railway funding. The change required new approvals and reset timelines, causing more years of delay. At least eight projects in the RTI data mention this withdrawal.
Telangana’s Level Crossing Nightmare: 5+ Years of Delays, Broken Promises & Public Suffering!!
A detailed analysis of South Central Railway’s official RTI reply (No. W.50/RTI/Statistics/2026 dated 30.06.2026) reveals a grim picture.
Out of 211 ROB/RUB projects tracked in… pic.twitter.com/ph4zKQqQPl
— Robin Zaccheus (@RobinZaccheus) July 3, 2026
For some projects, like the ROBs at Falaknuma–Budvel and Timmapur–Shadnagar, contracts exist but work has not begun. The state government is still deciding whether to change the design from two-arm to three-arm. The RTI reply gives no update on a final decision. Meanwhile, on the Wanaparthy Road–Sriramnagar section, the state government refused to share or bear any project costs. Now, the Railway funds the project fully and calls it a Special Railway Project. However, officials returned the GAD with comments.
Many projects have had their General Arrangement Drawings (GADs) revised, often changing from Bow String Girder to Composite Girder designs after gaining initial approval. For instance, on the Hasanparthi Road–Uppal and Uppal–Jammikunta sections, several ROB projects had to resubmit revised GADs and re-tender contracts.
On the KZJ–BPQ section, officials revised both the GAD and the project alignment according to the KUDA master plan. They canceled an earlier tender in October 2025, and construction has not started. In contrast, some projects are nearly finished or recently opened. These include the ROB at LC 14 on the Uppal–Jammikunta section (Railway work completed December 2025, now open to the public), ROB at LC 90 between Garla and Dornakal (bridge completed August 2025, approach road still pending), and RUB at LC 115A on the Bonakalu–Kazipet section (finished January 2026).
On the other hand, some projects remain tendered but stalled. ROBs at LC Nos. 80 (Tadalapusapalli–Mahabubabad), 64 (Warangal–Chintalpalli), 33 (Raigir–Wangapalli), and several others had tenders awarded in November 2025, but land acquisition remains incomplete, blocking construction from commencing.
Several projects are stuck in court. For example, the RUB at LC 74 on the KZJ–BZA section has been under a stay order since March 2024 after work was terminated. Similarly, the RUB at LC 119(M) on the same section faces a similar situation. In addition, some completed RUBs in the Guntur division still need drainage and approach work because of legal agreements. For the Dichpalli–Nizamabad ROB (LC 193), workers have placed two bow string girders and begun erecting bearings, but the RUB work must wait until the ROB is finished due to traffic management. At Safilguda RUB (LC 254), work started after a January 2026 tender. Crews are excavating the thrust bed, a process that required multiple joint inspections with various agencies.
For many residents living near active level crossings, these delays mean daily inconvenience. As a result, they face long waits at closed gates, risk of accidents, traffic jams, and anxiety when crossing tracks for school or transporting goods.
“Every year of delay keeps the risk of serious accidents high at active crossings. People waste hours each day, lose money, and grow more frustrated. This is more than slow infrastructure, it is a failure of governance that directly threatens the safety and daily lives of people in Telangana,” said RTI activist Robin Zaccheus.
The RTI reply shows that information is scattered across several offices, CAO/Con, RSP, multiple divisions, and Gati Shakti units. Robin added that typically, the Railway builds the bridge, and the state controls land and approach roads. When problems arise, officials blame each other. No one agency is responsible for the entire project. Meanwhile, the public suffers.
He has called for a single, empowered joint task force between the Railway and state government with clear deadlines. He also wants a public dashboard to track project progress, a real-time system for land acquisition updates, standardized bridge designs, and clear accountability from start to finish.
