The flyover connecting Kingsway with Ram Jhula near Nagpur Railway Station was built to end daily traffic snarls at the busy T-point with Tekadi road, and provide smooth passage for vehicles coming to and from CA Road. However, years after its opening, commuters say the situation on the ground has hardly changed, with long queues continuing to form every day, often stretching up to Kasturchand Park Square. While the flyover has helped vehicles bypass the junction, the commuters coming from LIC and Samvidhan Square still face the same problem. During peak hours, vehicles are often forced to wait for a long time before clearing the intersection. Commuters blame the congestion on a combination of poor traffic management and roadside encroachments.

 

The biggest hurdle is the continuous stream of vehicles taking a U-turn at T-point from Kingsway towards Kasturchand Park. This movement blocks vehicles coming down the flyover and creates a bottleneck at the junction. The problem becomes worse with fruit carts occupying roadside and auto-rickshaws parked illegally on both sides of the road. Vehicles entering the main road from the Divisional Railway Manager’s office and crossing towards Manas Square further slow down traffic. It also affects emergency services as a hospital is present on the stretch with regular arrival of ambulances.

 

“I thought the flyover would save at least 10 to 15 minutes everyday. Instead, we still get stuck at the same junction,” said Sandeep Verma, who travels through the stretch daily. Imran Sheikh, a regular commuter, said the road remains crowded because illegal parking is never removed. “Fruit carts and illegally parked autos leave very little space for moving traffic. The flyover has helped, but these issues cancel out its benefits,” he added. Pooja Kulkarni, a resident of nearby locality, said the authorities should review the traffic movement at the junction. “If the U-turn is managed properly and encroachments are cleared, traffic can move smoothly,” she said. The Kingsway-Ram Jhula corridor is one of the busiest routes in the city, carrying traffic to the Railway Station, Sitabuldi, Central Avenue and Central Avenue throughout the day. Commuters say the flyover has improved the infrastructure, but without better traffic regulation and strict action against illegal parking and roadside encroachments, the project has failed to provide congestion-free travel that people had hoped for.