THE flyover from Bhande Plot Square to Telephone Nagar Square, one of two flyovers being built as part of the ambitious Indora - Dighori flyover, will be opened in April, while the longer flyover from Pachpaoli to Reshimbagh Square will be opened in June, informed Chandrakant Sinha, Project Director (T echnical), National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Nagpur Region, while interacting with reporters during a media tour on Tuesday. The project aims to reduce traffic congestion from one of the most crowded parts of the city, like Mahal and Gandhibag, by diverting vehicles moving from North Nagpur to East Nagpur via flyovers. The construction of the flyovers began in 2023 and was mostly executed on schedule.

 

 

Sinha attributed the delay in opening of the longer flyover to delay by Indian Railways in granting permission and block required to launch girder over the two railway crossings in Pachpaoli. However, he not be taken against them. The matter has been posted for further hearing on Monday, February 16. The court recalled that in earlier hearings, it had repeatedly passed orders to address traffic congestion and unauthorised construction in Dhantoli, Congress Nagar, and Ramdaspeth.

 

However, the court observed that instead of improving, the situation has worsened. Adv Gandhi’s latest inspection confirmed that the problems remain unresolved even after multiple court directions. In a previous hearing, the High Court had also questioned why a fine of four times per square foot should not be imposed on encroachers in Dhantoli. The court had directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to submit relevant information. It had also raised the issue of whether fines could be imposed on hospitals that fail to provide adequate parking space as per rules. Despite some roads being officially declared one-way, they are no longer functioning as such due to rampant encroachments and illegal parking. The High Court noted that its orders are not being implemented effectively, which has resulted in continuous inconvenience to citizens, especially senior citizens and patients visiting hospitals.

 

 

The police department had stated in an affidavit that action would be taken against those violating parking and construction rules in Dhantoli. However, during his inspection, Adv Gandhi found that these rules were not being enforced. He informed the court orally, following which the court directed him to submit an affidavit. The High Court also questioned why parking spaces being used commercially, especially by hospitals, should not attract fines at four times the commercial rate. The court suggested issuing show-cause notices within a week to the concerned parties, asking them to explain why such fines should not be imposed. The court further observed that this problem is not limited to Dhantoli alone but is spread across the city. It orally directed that the Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police should explain why action should not be taken against him for failing to enforce the court’s orders.