With the proposal for new bridge pending, the civic body pumped some life in the existing dilapidated railway overbridge (RoB) at Pachpaoli with patchworks on it, a couple of days back. A new and extended bridge is proposed to replace the existing RoB. The new bridge would start from Indora Square. The existing three decades old bridge standing in the populated area with more than two railway lines, is being used by about 50,000 people of Central and North Nagpur, daily. Also, those from other areas, while moving towards West, East, towards Kamptee or Sitabuldi, use this bridge. The bridge was in a very bad shape since long but remained neglected for the reasons best known to authorities concerned. The commuters continued using the bridge as they didn’t have any option. Coming out of deep slumbers in last couple of days, Nagpur Municipal Corporation has started some patchwork in an attempt to give a facelift to the RoB. Driving on the bridge was never a pleasure, at least, in last several years.

 

 

 

When asked about starting road repair works on the RoB, Dayashankar Tiwari, Mayor, told ‘The Hitavada’, “We received complaints from people residing in the area. They told us that they faced problems while using the bridge. There were several potholes and road, too, was in a very bad shape. There is no point in constructing a new road as the construction of new bridge would begin soon.” Tiwari said, “Kishor Umredkar, who represents Bharatiya Janata Party’s Halba front as its President, had come to me and urged me to get the bridge repaired. He explained to me how people are suffering daily while commuting.” Kartik Larokar, who runs Maharashtra Vikas Manch organisation, also pursued the issue with the higher authorities from Mayor Tiwari to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

 

He also met the officials concerned to get the road repaired at the earliest and submitted several memorandums. Larokar, who keeps raising his voice on several issues, said, “I have been demanding the authorities to repair the bridge first to make people’s journey convenient. Government is planning new bridge is good thing but at the same time the existing condition should be improved.” The glaring example of neglect of this bridge was when its parapet wall collapsed two years ago at two places, it remained in that condition for eight months. It was very dangerous as had anybody lost balance he or she could have fallen straight down on the road under the bridge and died. After ‘The Hitavada’ raised the issue, the then Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar, took measures to repair the parapet wall.