Pardi project to wrap-up by August end
| Date :25-Jun-2024 |
Staff Reporter
Finally the mega project going at Pardi, the fly-over cum RoB cum-RuB is nearing completion as National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has set deadline of August 2024 for the same. The work on the 4-arm fly-over is going for nearly a decade and curtains would fall on it as NHAI is set to wrap up its work on Bhandara Road, perhaps one of the longest projects. Currently, three arms of the project have been opened for citizens, only the railway overbridge-cum-fly-over and a railway-under-bridge (from Vaishnodevi Square towards Kalamna) remains to be completed. Most of the major works on the 4-armed fly-over that is proposed to overcome traffic congestion at one of the major junctions in East Nagpur are over. Now only small patches and approach road works are being given finishing touches and by August end all the missing ends would be joined to deliver the project to Nagpurians, said Chandrakant Sinha, Project Director, NHAI, Nagpur Regional Office, while talking to ‘The Hitavada.’
It may be recalled that the bhoomipujan of the project was performed way back in August 2014, and 36-months period was estimated for completion of the grand construction, promising a congestion-free crossing of Rani Prajpati Junction on Bhandara Road. Plus additional 12 months grace period was taken into consideration for other activities. Besides construction of a 4-arm fly-over for a 6 km stretch, the project also encompassed a railway under bridge (RuB) and a Railway Over Bridge (RoB). The two addition was meant to eliminate obstacle of Itwari-Nagbhid line at Level Crossing Gate no. 71/72 for smooth connectivity from Inner Ring Road junctions to APMC, Kalamna Market Gate no. 1 and 2 Asked about the current status, Sinha stated that all the girders on remaining two patches of fly-over arm have been placed. The three arms of the 4-arm fly-over have already been commissioned, they include one from Kalamna to Bhandara Road, Old Bhandara Road to Kapsi and Lakadganj to HB Town. The construction speed is now in the fast lane and focus is now on completing the second arm of RuB.
Sinha further informed that while one side is already opened, the other side got delayed as the opening towards HB Town was clashing with a Metro pillar. Now a solution is being worked out, as the opening is being shifted sideways. No, Sinha said when asked if the shifting of RuB opening would require additional land, saying right of way is available and work is nearing completion there. At the work site, men and machinery are busy working round the clock as deadline looms large. Sinha said the focus is now completion of ramps of the fly-over, the one at Pardi Square round about is almost complete. A small part of the fly-over remains to be complete on side of Rani Prajapati Square.
The project has been in making for nearly a decade and due to delays attributed to land acquisition and shifting of utilities, the cost has sky rocketed. When the tender was floated during early 2014, the cost was estimated at Rs 358 crore. It was to be Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode as NHAI was for faster completion as the contractor gets more liberty at executing the project. As happens most of the time, the ground survey is never taken into serious consideration while planning such big shot projects. The result ballooning of the cost to over Rs 2,500 crore now.
New additions, encroachment, underground utility shifting, land acquisition cause delay
Before NHAI stepped-in, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) had proposed a fly-over at busy Pardi Square for easing traffic congestion due to movement of heavy vehicles in large numbers. In the year 2012, the cost was worked out to Rs 63.6 crore. Later, the project under went a sea change as many new components were added, including railway under bridge (RuB), Railway Over Bridge (RoB) resulting in cost escalating to Rs 358.16 crore. This was when NHAI first floated tenders in 2014. The tender by NHAI mentioned four-lane fly-over on NH-6, the Bhandara Road, one of the busiest junction, owing to proximity to Agriculture Produce Market Committee. The market is one of the biggest in the country. Hence, the junction saw massive movement of trucks. Also the rapid urbanisation has seen massive growth in residential areas. Similarly the stretch from Rani Prajapati Square to Pardi octroi naka is a busy commercial junction.
When the work started on construction everything went of smoothly from Pardi to Rani Prajapati Square stretch. However, as the RuB work began and RoB landing was to be completed, and measurement for approaches and ramps started it hit the hurdle of private land. Then there was lot of encroachments and settling all these issues took considerable time, pointed out Chandrakant Sinha during conversation with The Hitavada. Further, as the contractor went deep underground he came across with various utilities which were to be shifted leading to another hindrance to the works. There were lot of pipeline, electricity lines and telecom wires and each of the utility required their time in identifying passes to shift those.