Commuter safety at risk: NMC fails toaddress Ram Jhula flyover’s dangerous gap

 

 

AFTER almost 10 days of the issue of gap in two spans of Ram Jhula flyover coming to public notice, the Public Works Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is yet to take a look at the spot, leave alone attempting to resolve the issue. The shocking revelation came as ‘The Hitavada’ contacted Manoj Talewar, Chief Engineer, Public Works Department. Talewar informed that their engineer is yet to visit the spot and can answer any query related to the issue after receipt of the report about the matter. Earlier when the issue came in public light, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) faced criticism as it was responsible for the construction of the bridge, and as such maintenance also was with it.

 

Samay Nikose, Superintending Engineer, MSRDC, explained that the MSRDC was just an executing agency for theconstructionproject.“TheRam Jhula overbridge was constructed as part of the Integrated Road Development Project (IRDP) undertaken by NMC and Nagpur ImprovementTrust (NIT) towiden the roads in the city. MSRDC had been declared as “Entrepreneur” for this project vide Government Resolution dated February 23, 2001 and theroads andbridgesweretransferred torespective agencies after their completion, stated Nikose. “Maha Metro became party when it acquired part of the Ram Jhula flyover for constructing its Aqua Metro line between Hingna and Prajapati Nagar, during phase 1 of the Nagpur Metro project.

 

The problem spot with the gap is near to the pillar of the Metro route.MahaMetrocompleted theconstruction of the Aqua Line and transferred the project back to the relevant agency.Even theDefectLiabilityPeriod (DLP) of the project has lapsed,” informed Akhilesh Halve, Deputy General Manager (DGM), Corporate Communications,MahaMetro.These revelations meant that the responsibilityofmaintainingtheRamJhulasolely lies now with NMC. But the civic body officials appears unfazed by the developmentandhence thelukewarm response to the issue even as for commuters it a daily test of their luck. While the Ram Jhula issue is yet to be takenseriouslybytheNMC, thesimilar issue of big gap between spans on Pardi fly-over has been resolved by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), informed Chandrashekhar Sinha, Regional Officer, while speaking to ‘The Hitavada’. “The gap in the span is left deliberately to allow concrete to expand during summer and contract during winters. The expansion of gap above permissible limit might have appeared due to some strongbreakingaction, thatmighthave affectedthebearingsbelow thespans,” stated Sinha.

 

Asked about the same issued plaguingButiborifly-over,Sinha informed that fresh repair work will be started in next 15-days. “NHAI has decided to put curbs on outer lanes on the fly-over so that the heavy traffic wont be able to travel there while light vehicles will be able to use the lastlane.Means, a portion of the fly-over will be in effect barricaded to ensure that only light vehicles areable tousethelane.” Thesolutionisgoing tobe executed as per suggestion by experts from VisvesvarayaNationalInstitute ofTechnology(NHAI), VNIT came into pictureafter a part of Butibori fly-over was damagedinDecember 2024when a heavy truck passed over the last lane. The fly-over subsequently closed for five months for studyingits structural fitnessfor vehicular traffic. AspersuggestiongivenbyVNITteam,thefly-overwasrepairedandreopened in May 2025, with last laneguardedbybarricades.NHAI has now seems to have come upwith a solution forreopening thelast lane for traffic.