There is a significant population of young couples residing in Hyderabad with both toddlers and teenage children. Typically, they make plans for weekend outings, always on the lookout for something fresh to explore in the city, despite having visited most places already.
This explains their enthusiastic response when they learned that the renowned international furniture brand, IKEA, had opened a store in the city. They flooded the streets of Gachibowli with excitement.
Similarly, when they discovered the opening of the Durgam Chervu bridge, they reacted in the same exuberant manner.
Now, they have come to known that the widely recognized LULU Shopping Mall, popular among Gulf residents, has inaugurated its first branch in Kukatpally, Hyderabad.
This fervor coincided with a long weekend due to Gandhi Jayanthi falling on Monday. Consequently, for the past three days, there has been an unprecedented surge in traffic on the roads leading to LULU Mall in Kukatpally.
Numerous comments and criticisms have emerged regarding the enthusiastic families who flocked to the newly opened mall, resulting in extensive traffic congestion and road closures.
However, the average citizen seldom considers the broader impact, focusing primarily on creating moments of joy for their families. Only once they find themselves ensnared in traffic do they realize the timing might not have been ideal.
It is the duty of the police to foresee such heavy traffic influxes, given the past occurrences with IKEA and the Durgam Chervu Flyover, and take preemptive measures to mitigate traffic disruptions.
While the traffic police did step in after the roads were already congested, it is hoped that in the future, the Hyderabad traffic authorities will proactively implement measures and collaborate with both the public and store owners to ensure the smooth functioning of the system, without inconveniencing the city's residents.