Kamptee Road fly-over landing at LIC Square in limbo!
| Date :12-Jul-2023 |
By Rutu Borkar
The much touted four way transport system on Kamptee Road is yet to see the light of the day thanks to incomplete landing on LIC end due to want of land. This has resulted in non completion of 5.4 km long fly-over and hence the public funds invested heavily in the project are still not fruitful. Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) was awarded the fly-over construction as deposit work by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as former was constructing the viaduct for metro route on Sitabuldi-Automotive Square. Right now the agencies are engaged in passing the buck as no one knows how to move ahead. The problem arose due to deviation from Detailed Project Report (DPR) on fly-over component of multi-layered transport system, it was touted as one of its kind in the country. Earlier the fly-over on Kamptee Road was to land near SFS Cathedral and that was opposed by the priests and citizens on grounds that it would create dangers for road users, especially Church goers, also to school children. Hence after hectic consultations it was decided to shift the landing further ahead, opp. erstwhile Bharat Talkies. However the problem now is to complete the landing 3,000 sq mtrs land is required, as it would also take care of adjoining side lanes ensuring that traffic passing below to do not face any hassles, said Arvind Kale, Project Director, NHAI, while talking to The Hitavada.
But since, for the same private land needs to be acquired, NHAI was not ready to foot the bill. Finally, powers that be lobbed the ball in NMC’s court despite knowing well that latter’s financial condition is not that good. Pramod Gawande, Deputy Director, Town Planning, NMC, stated that 16 properties are needed to be acquired for the completion of landing at LIC end. Of this, 14 are private properties; and one each belongs to Revenue Department and Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). Terming the acquisition as a lengthy process, Gawande said its difficult to put a definite time frame for the same. Also, the land owners have the right to go under appeal if they believe that they are not adequately compensated. It could further delay the completion of fly-over to an unspecified timeline. While the 5.4 kms fly-over was to be build at an estimated cost of Rs 570 crore, it will see an escalation in its construction cost. The officials at NMC are in a fix as they do not know how to bring the hefty sum for payment of compensation.
While Maha Metro is claiming that more than 80 per cent of the work of the fly-over is completed, it will at least take additional four months to complete the landing once NMC hand overs the required land to Maha Metro, stated Maha Metro official. For citizens travelling towards Automotive Square from RBI square, the area around Kasturchand Park has turned into a maze. The road patch after RBI square has been blocked due to the wrong landing structure of the Katol Road fly-over, and citizens have to take detour to come back on Kamptee Road. Citizens and businesses located under this fly-over, that consists of numerous shops, businesses, schools and a prominent Gurudwara have already suffered the wrath of dust problems and traffic jams, risking lives of individuals, apart from hampering the business of shops located on the Gaddigodam stretch. While the fly-over landing at LIC hangs in limbo, so is the chaos it will create once it is operational, since, a maze of fly-over landings has surrounded the area around Kasturchand Park. Once the landing work is finished, the roads circling Kasturchand Park will have to handle traffic of Katol road fly-over, Automotive fly-over and two arms of the Kingsway Y-shaped fly-over that are one way. Will it ease traffic, or create a turmoil for the commuters, that is a question to wait and watch until authorities plan out taking into consideration the future.