The Y-shaped Mominpura Road Over Bridge (RoB) is testing people’s patience, especially those residing in the vicinity. MahaRail has claimed 85 per cent physical progress and denied any shift in RoB’s landing. Being executed by Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) to facilitate commuters by-pass Motibagh crossing, the 2.82 km RoB was proposed from Kadbi Chowk to Golibar Chowk. At Pahalwan Shah Dargah T-point, the RoB bifurcates an 11-metre arm towards Timki Square Police Chowki. The residents alleged the Timki arm was to touch down just before Golibar Chowk at the time of its bhoomipujan but subsequently they claimed it was altered. Now, the RoB landing will be near Gupta Atta Chakki.

 

The landing is much shorter from earlier length. The landing work is choking access to a burial ground, two schools, a hospital and shops. An official of MahaRail, however, said there was no shifting. “The landing point of the Timki arm and it was originally near Gupta Atta Chakki. There is no shifting of landing point. On local concerns, the official said an underpass is proposed at 20m from Abutment 1 (A1) in Reinforced Earth (RE) Wall for connectivity of Chudi Lane to Darul Uloom Road. There is sufficient vertical clearance of more than 4.50 m between Pier P1 and P2 for movement of fire brigade vehicle to Bhankheda Kabristan Road,” the official added. The project began in July 2021 at Rs 146 crore for completion by December 2025. The project cost now has escalated to Rs 185 crore with new deadline to March 2027. MahaRail attributed cost escalation to GST hike from 12% to 18%, shifting of underground 11 KV and 33KV lines and water pipelines, increase in railway land lease charges, price variation due to delay and additional cost of a public toilet building.

 

On delay, MahaRail cited night-only working in Mominpura arm due to excessive traffic, eviction of encroachments on Railway and Nazul land cleared by Collector and NMC on January 27, 2025. Shifting of a 600 mm dia water pipeline (850 m), shifting of underground cables from Kadbi Square to Timki, delay in permission from NMC for felling trees till August 8, 2025, delay in permissions from Central and South East Central Railway for girder launching and frequent agitation and stoppage of work by locals. Foundation and substructure work have been completed. Superstructure work is in progress. Overall physical progress is approximately 85 per cent,” the official said. While in reality, the picture remains grim. Massive piers have risen in tight lanes near Garib Nawaz Mosque and HB Medical Stores, but the carriageway beneath has subsided at places. On the damaged service road, the MahaRail official said, “Potholes (if any) in service roads are being attended to regularly and there is no traffic congestion. Water is being regularly sprinkled during peak office hours to control dust. The permanent cement concrete road work is in progress.” Residents, however, said the Kadbi Chowk-Garib Nawaz Chowk patch collapses after every repair, while concreting of Kidwai Road-Timki Bazar link is lopsided.