Hyderabad road with electricity poles in the middle goes viral; mayor says 152 still to move

A video of cars weaving between electricity poles standing in the middle of a new road in Hyderabad, Sindh, has gone viral, with users calling it a "masterpiece of engineering". The road runs from Alamdaar Chowk to the Old National Highway and is still under construction, ARY News reported on Thursday 29 October. In the clip, drivers zigzag around the poles one after another, which social media users likened to a video game.

What the mayor's office says

A spokesperson for Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro said the road is not finished. According to the spokesperson:

• 162 electricity poles on 27 feeders have to be moved for the project.
• Only 10 of them have been shifted so far.
• People should not use the road until construction is complete and it is formally inaugurated.

No date was given for when the rest of the poles will be moved or the road opened. Shifting poles means taking feeders off and putting them back, which is done by the power company, the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), and is often what holds up road projects in Pakistani cities.

The politics

PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh posted the video on X and held it up as an example of the Sindh government's development projects.

Why it matters for people in Hyderabad

The poles are a real road safety risk, not just a joke. A pole in a traffic lane is hard to see at night or in fog, and a car or motorbike that hits one can bring down live wires. Until the work is finished:

• Take another route between Alamdaar Chowk and the Old National Highway, as the mayor's office has asked.
• If you must use it, drive slowly, keep your lights on after dark and do not overtake around the poles.
• Report a fallen or sparking pole to HESCO rather than going near it.

A familiar problem

Road building is busy around the city: Sindh also has the Hyderabad to Sukkur motorway (M-6) starting nearby, with work due from November (our report).

Find electricians, contractors and other local services in our Hyderabad business directory.