Constructing bridge on Pili Nadi was a difficult part for the authorities because of several reasons. Any agency that is in the construction sector has to be ready to take up the challenges. But, challenges which Public Works Department (PWD) faced while constructing the bridge on Pili Nadi were altogether of differently type. If one visits and sees the bridge, one would not realise the pains taken by PWD. The agency has not only faced issues in construction but also had to handle social problems. Now, the bridge is ready, people have started using it but it is still awaiting its official inauguration.

 

N C Giri, Executive Engineer, PWD told The Hitavada, “It was a critical site due to Sangam of Pili River and Chambhar Nullah. Around thrice the cofferdam broke due to unseasonal rains and it was a critical point to make cofferdam due to Sangam.”

 

 

 

 

Giri under the guidance of Chief Engineer Sanjay Dashpute, Superintendent Engineer V D Sardeshmukh worked on several critical points and the bridge is ready to serve the people of North Nagpur. The said work is in the jurisdiction of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) with adjoining lands on both sides of the road belonging to Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). There were more than 300 existing encroachments on either side of the road. The original width of road was only 7 metre long with more than 300 permanent and temporary encroachments, which had to be removed.

 

The biggest challenge was to remove encroachments in co-ordination with Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) and NMC as this road and land did not belong to PWD. PWD couldn’t execute any encroachment removal on its own. Hence considering the difficulty, encroachment was removed by convincing encroachers. PWD had to play a soft role and they had a talk with the people of that area. This has resulted in removal of encroachments by the encroachers themselves. Probably this could be the unique example where people came forward for the greater cause.

 

Giri said, “The local public was very interested in widening of the road because there was a lot of problem they were facing due to traffic congestion in narrow road to the bridge. The existing Pili River was very narrow and submersible traffic frequently got interrupted in ordinary flood. There were lot of flood accidents in this area due to narrow and submersible bridge.”

 

The flow of water from the river flooded on either sides of banks, flood protection retaining walls was constructed on upstream and downstream side. On Pili river, two parallel 12 metre wide bridge is constructed with high level of 5 span of 10 m center to center. Now, traffic in this area is running smoothly.