The New land mark of Hyderabad is not a Mall, Its the PVNR ExpressWay.

Well yesterday was the Last Day of a Long Week End and also My Mon-Day off too. We, that is me and My Better half (yep She Is Now after her week long illness) spend most of the part of the day in Home, amusing ourselves whole of the day. By Evening, we need to break out of the Walls of the house and breathe fresh air.

After a Lot of your choice, my choice, we settled for a drive. Well the newspapers had announced the Opening of the newly Built P V Narasimha Rao Elevated Expressway from the city to the new International Airport. We decide to take the flyover and do our inaugural ride ourselves and test it out just hours after its thrown open by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority claims the PVN Expressway as India's Longest Flyover - 11.6 KM and Its is, I did clock it and takes approximately 12-14 minutes of travel time from Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital(Its close to My Home I stay in a Lane somewhere here - For all of those In search of me.. LoL.) to Aramghar Junction. The Travel time to Airport could be cut down by approximately 30-40 Minutes and it depends on the time of travel. Flyover started in 2005 was build at a cost of 600 crores over a period of four years. Like any other Project launched in India, it was delayed and the cost escalated too. The PVNR Expressway, which encompasses 327 spans, was delayed due to various reasons, including financial constraints, land acquisition, reallocation of Utility Services,Army's objections and the death of the CM, YSR. It is built to provide better and faster connectivity to the international airport at Shamshabad which was open in May 2008.

The PVNR Expressway will help commuters drive at a speed of 90-100 kmph and reach the airport from city in less than 45 minutes. The maximum speed limit on the P.V. Expressway, is 60 km/hour for vehicles, we did hit 80-90 KMPH as did watch in awe a few xylos,scopios, teveras whooshing past us. The sign boards at turnings did mention the speed limit as 40 KMPH. One good thing about the express way is the ban of two wheelers, autos, goods vehicles and heavy trucks. Thanks God for the small mercies. This resolution will help in preventing road accidents and to ensure free flow of traffic.

Frequent fatal accidents involving two-wheeler riders due to rash and drunken driving, mostly late in the night, on major flyovers in the city must have prompted HMDA to ban bikes on the elevated expressway. Two-wheelers are already banned on the Outer Ring Road between Gachibowli and Shamshabad airport as most of the bikers form gang and use these road for their dare devil acrobatics and stunts.

Since the down and up ramps are not yet completed, once you are on the express way, there is no need to dance your feet on brake and clutch...Its accelerator all the way except to places where the ramps have to come up. And remember, once the vehicle is on to the expressway as you will not be able to get down anywhere, before covering the entire distance of 11.6 Kms. However, gaps have been provided at three points as a temporary measure for emergency U-turns at the 70th, 140th and 210th spans, but they were blocked when we went our way. I do Hope they will be open for any kind of emergency soon. There are lots of precautionary Signboards and anti-glare panels, for narrow passages, speed breakers, speed limits, turns etc to help drivers drive safely without accidents.

Well where did we land up after the Roller coaster Ride? Where Else 31 Baskin Robbins Ice-cream Parlor! LoL Happy Joy Ride to Airport and to City.

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