In Bhopal, a ₹18 cr railway bridge with 90-degree turn sparks safety row

Locals fear a sharp turn on a nearly completed Bhopal bridge may cause accidents; officials say a paucity of land and a nearby metro station left them with no alternative

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A railway overbridge (RoB) near Aishbagh Stadium in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, has sparked controversy ahead of its inauguration. The reason - a sharp 90-degree turn in its design.

 

This has forced the locals to raise safety concerns, warning that the steep angle could pose a risk to commuters. They argue that such a turn may be difficult for vehicles to navigate and could increase the likelihood of accidents.

 

After the picture of the bridge became a centre of debate on social media, Public Works Department Minister Rakesh Singh said the matter would be examined, reported The Indian Express. He stated that whenever a bridge is constructed, many technical considerations are taken into account, and added that if there were such allegations, officials would look into it.

 

Officials cite land constraints near railway station

 

Officials associated with its construction argue that they had no other option than building it this way given the paucity of land and the presence of a metro rail station nearby. Built at a cost of ₹18 crore, the 648-metre-long and 8.5-metre-wide railway overbridge aims to connect the densely populated areas of Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar, and the railway station zone with New Bhopal.

 

Bridge aims to ease traffic woes

 

Designed as a solution to traffic congestion, the project was expected to cut down long delays at railway crossings and end a decade-long detour for residents. The bridge is projected to benefit nearly 300,000 commuters daily, according to the state government.

 

Public Works Department (Bridge Department) Chief Engineer VD Verma told news agency PTI that due to the lack of land, there was no other alternative. "Due to the metro station, there is limited availability of land at the point. Due to the lack of land, there was no other option. The purpose of the overbridge is to connect the two colonies," Verma said.

 

Only small vehicles will run on this overbridge, he said, adding that heavy vehicles will not be allowed to use it.

 

(With inputs from PTI)