Conventional bridge over Mir Alam Tank sinks hopes of lower footprint of connectivity

The planned link on the Mir Alam Tank to connect Shastripuram on the Bengaluru Highway to Chintalmet is a 35-metre width, 2.4 kilometre conventional bridge with multiple piers and not a cable-stayed bridge as was being speculated.

“It is a normal bridge like the flyover there,” informed a supervisor at the site as rows of earthmovers laid a stretch of mud and debris road for the movement of vehicles. While the bridge is called iconic, the only concession appears to be ornamental lighting and a 1.5 metre footpath giving a bird’s eye view over the Nehru Zoological Park and Mir Mahmood ki Pahadi.

“The deepest region we encountered is nearly 12 metres, and at other places it is nine metres. The pillars will be raised in the lake and there will be a circular junctions at either end allowing traffic to flow smoothly,” informed the official.

According to documents hosted on government websites, KNR Constructions has been awarded a letter of approval for the ₹319.24 crore EPC contract for the bridge across Mir Alam Tank in Hyderabad with a deadline of 24 months for its completion. 

The massive earthen work near the STP plant of HMWS&SB has drawn the dismayed attention of the people and motorists about the nature of the work.

“Already the lake has shrunk. We were expecting a cable-stayed bridge so that the lake will survive in its current condition. If it is a conventional bridge more of the lake will be lost affecting the ecology and the fragile environment near the landmark zoo park,” said S.Q. Masood, a rights activist who frequents the area for his work.

The large waterbody was built as a source of drinking water for Hyderabad by the Nizam’s Prime Minister Mir Alam with the spoils of war against Tipu Sultan nearly 220 years ago. Over the years, the lake has shrunk due to encroachments and STP plants built inside it. The water quality assessed by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board in January 2025 showed total coliform count at 540 MPN in 100 ml making it unusable even for recreational purposes. 

The area on the other side of the Musi with dense population has seen a massive transformation in terms of traffic movement with the Bahadurpura Flyover and the Aramghar Flyover giving relief to motorists. However, the old bottlenecks of Aramaghar Junction and the Purana Pul junction have not gone away shifting the goalposts. The bridge over the Mir Alam Tank is expected to move part of this traffic to the road under the PVNR Expressway.