Exhausted by the long wait in the opening of the Somalwada Railway Under Bridge (RuB), the residents of Manish Nagar-Narendra Nagar took the matter into their own hands and raised the curtains on the underpass on Monday. The Hitavada recently reported about the delays in the opening of the RuB despite the completion of the work. The residents noticed the same themselves and collectively removed the barricades erected at the underpass entrance and began using it for vehicular movement. It was only after the intervention from the concerned authorities that the RuB was shut down again later in the evening and then again at night following another episode of barricade removal. The underpass remains shrouded in uncertainty even now, as there has been no official word from the authorities about its inauguration.

 

The closure of Somalwada Road for the construction of the RuB has stressed the area’s other underpass, the Manish Nagar Underpass. The Manish Nagar Underpass was built to accommodate only one side of the traffic but has been thrown open to vehicles travelling both ways until the completion of Somalwada RuB. This has led to severe traffic jams in Manish Nagar and surrounding areas. Alok Nath, a resident, voiced his frustration by saying, “We are the ones who paid tax. It is because of ‘us’ that the project was possible in the first place.

 

Then, why, even after its completion, do we have to wait for someone to inaugurate it? We cannot bear any delay, especially if the road (underpass) is fit for vehicular movements.” The Hitavada previously spoke with Akhilesh Halve, Deputy General Manager of Communication, MahaMetro. He informed that the construction of the Somalwada RuB is almost done, and the only work remaining is on the service roads alongside the underpass, which he assured us would be completed soon. He did, however, caution that the power of the decision pertaining to the opening of the subway lies in the hands of the Public Works Department.