In a move that has sparked both support and criticism, the iconic Telugu Thalli Flyover in Hyderabad has been renamed as Telangana Thalli Flyover. The GHMC Standing Committee approved the proposal unanimously and recommended it to the State government, which has now cleared the change. New signboards reflecting the updated name are set to be installed soon.

The flyover, which connects Lower Tank Bund to the Telangana Secretariat, holds more than just traffic value; it carries emotional and cultural weight. For years, it was known as Telugu Thalli Flyover, a name that took root organically among citizens due to the presence of the Telugu Thalli statue nearby. Though never officially gazetted under that name, the public adopted it wholeheartedly.

However, the statue was removed during the construction of the new Secretariat by the previous TRS government, and now the symbolic shift continues with this renaming. While GHMC justifies the change as aligning with Telangana’s distinct identity, many see it as an attempt to rewrite a piece of the city’s cultural memory.

Critics argue that associating “Telugu” solely with Andhra Pradesh is misleading, since Telangana too is a Telugu-speaking region. The move, they say, creates an unnecessary division in a shared linguistic heritage. With so many new flyovers being built under the state’s infrastructure push, couldn’t a fresh name have gone to a new project, rather than overwrite a long-standing one?

Ultimately, the signboards may say “Telangana Thalli Flyover,” but for countless locals, it will always be the Telugu Thalli Flyover.