Along Metro route, Gandhi Nagar residents seek breathing space
| Date :23-May-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
BULLDOZED! This is the precise feeling of citizens living in Gandhi Nagar and Corporation Colony as they find themselves sandwiched between ongoing construction of Mazi Metro station. Leave alone the present, temporary discomfort to the road users on North Ambazari Road, the Metro station itself is going to be a permanent centre of disturbance as it is spilling over into internal lanes of Gandhi Nagar. Maha Metro did not have enough space on front and hence pushed the station into one residential property it had acquired. But given the station’s massive spread, the land piece proved too small and hence Maha Metro perched itself on adjoining compound of private properties for its station at Gandhi Nagar Square on Hingna-Pardi route. The ongoing construction of Metro station at Gandhi Nagar Square is causing untold miseries to road users for last two years. Yet the station work is only half complete and either side of the station is branched into residential properties.
On the northern side, for construction of the station building, a private property was acquired just near the square and on southern side also open space in front of Parivar Apartments and adjoining independent houses was taken over by Maha Metro. The problem is that owing to small space, the station building is extended right into the lane adjoining the Gandhi Nagar Square. It will be an added chaos as the commuters will alight in this small lane. Add to this, the parking of private transport carriers who will be seeking ‘savaris’ and the privacy of the adjoining houses will be gone forever. It seems, while constructing the Metro station near Indira Gandhi Hospital, the authorities forget to take into account peace and comfort of residents living in the vicinity.
Already, the narrow stretch of road, due to the long-pending work, has badly damaged footpaths and heaps of debris blocking even pedestrians’ way. For the Metro station coming in front of Canara Bank, the authorities acquired land of various houses for construction of escalators and some pillars. It is a direct assault on their privacy henceforth. The long-drawn work has already resulted in two restaurants shutting down. For others, the staircase and escalators are their new neighbours, just a handshake’s distance away. They will have to bear the brunt of development forever. The entire stretch has big apartments and private bungalows whose frontage will be in direct contact with either the Metro pillars or stations. The narrow stretch has become a dangerous spot, inviting accidents. Full of potholes and damaged portions due to the ongoing construction work, the stretch sees mishaps every day. “Everyday, minor accidents occur here due to the small road. However, the Metro authorities are unable to understand danger here,” a security guard told ‘The Hitavada’ showing construction of a pillar going on for last two years.
“This is how they are working without any responsibility for the citizens,” he added. Three girls were killed on the same stretch last year when they came under a heavy vehicle. “Some say that the girls were riding haphazardly but our observation was that the damaged and narrow road and footpaths were equally responsible for the deaths of the girls,” a 60-year-old resident said on request of anonymity. “There is very little space for movement of vehicles on the stretch as Maha Metro has forgotten to repair the footpaths,” he further said and added that trucks, bikes, cars and pedestrians have to pass through the 20 feet of road space. “Even after the death of the girls, the Metro authorities have not bothered to repair the footpaths and roads,” another resident lamented. Road surface has deteriorated and become uneven between Indira Gandhi Hospital and NIT swimming pool. Moreover, the road adjacent to Metro pillars near the pool has not yet been repaired posing danger for commuters. Once the route becomes operational, the Metro Station would create more trouble for the commuters as the station is situated just near the square. Traffic stopping at the signal is bound to block the entrance of the station. But it is a price that the Nagpurians have to pay for a dream project that loosely translates into development.