New underpass at Sitabuldi may open for public by April
   Date :12-Feb-2023

underpass at Sitabuldi  
 
 
By Vikas Vaidya
The new underpass at Sitabuldi that starts from Manas Chowk is on the verge of completion and is likely to be opened for public by April 2023. It is expected to have six lanes which will change the face of the area. Along with it, the authorities in Nagpur are seriously mulling over demolition of Design Disaster --Tekdi Flyover.
This underpass being constructed by MahaMetro will connect West Nagpur to East Nagpur resulting in reduction in traffic congestion on road beneath Loha Pul. At present, the underpass at Loha Pul is divided into two -- one for going towards Mahal and another for the people to come to West Nagpur. The new underpass will act as one wider part for commuters to come from West Nagpur, from Killa Road through Manas Chowk to go towards East part of the city to reach Cotton Market. The Old Loha Pul will be under use as usual for the people coming from East part to reach West part. There are total four boxes of total length -- 45 meter by 10 meters. The width of the underpass is 6 meter and height is 4.5 meter. The work will be handed over to Public Works Department (PWD) that is supposed to look after the maintenance. About 95% work is finished.
The work began in 2020 during COVID-19. In those two years, the work progressed slowly due to lockdown. Last year Metro gave the work some required momentum and now it has reached to the point of near completion.
The present Loha Pul underpass has become a choke point for the commuters. These days people find it very difficult to drive the vehicles through this Under-pass. Because of new underpass work in progress, people have to struggle to pass through these hurdles finding their ways towards Loha Pul, due to which the chaos is rampant.
To add to the woes of public, private buses stop near Manas Chowk on both sides of the road going towards Freedom Park Square. Not only private buses but State Transport buses too take a stop there as they have an official bus stop there. Despite a team of Traffic Police being deployed at the spot, there is no sign of streamlining of traffic as vehicular movement runs as per whims and fancies of the public. Commuters, who have no option but to use this road, are awaiting early opening of the underpass and demolition of Tekdi flyover.