construction of the underpass near Ajni Railway Station is progressing rapidly on the railway station side, but work on the road towards Ajni Square remains stalled as the Public Works Department (PWD) awaits permission to fell trees, with disagreements over compensatory plantation emerging as the latest hurdle. The clearance process has been underway for several months, raising concerns over completion of Rs 100-crore-plus project, which was initially targeted for December 2026 but could now extend until March 2027. The underpass is expected to provide uninterrupted connectivity between Ajni and southern parts of Nagpur, easing congestion around the busy Railway crossing. Sources said the PWD had sought permission from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to fell nearly 400 trees scattered across multiple locations. The NMC’s Garden Department sought details of the compensatory plantation proposed by the department. While the PWD maintains that it has planted required number of trees, the Garden Department sources said the plantation included species which are not accepted for compensatory plantation.

 

They maintained that the department was following High Court directions and would grant permission once the plantation met the prescribed requirements. The disagreement has left the road stretch towards Ajni Square awaiting construction even as work continues on the other side. The excavation work is nearly complete and PWD has even began work for the box construction near Ajni Railway Station. PWD officials said they were in communication with NMC authorities and would make changes to the plantation as advised. However, they also argued that permission could be granted for at least four trees near the Railway overbridge at Ajni Square, which they claim are obstructing smooth traffic flow.

 

The officials’ request comes amid growing commuter inconvenience along the corridor, where traffic arrangements have already been altered to accommodate construction. In August, the department had acknowledged that pending tree-felling clearances and identification of land for compensatory plantation could affect the project’s timeline. However, PWD officials remain confident that they will complete the project within the deadline once the permission is granted. Ajni underpass was initially considered a relatively straightforward infrastructure project because it did not involve land acquisition. However, the tree-felling permissions have become a major bottleneck, threatening to delay the promised relief for thousands of daily commuters.