Nagpur: After years of frustration for commuters, the Narendra Nagar Railway Underbridge (RUB) in Nagpur is finally poised for a major engineering revamp. But even as the Public Works Department (PWD) readies a Rs 9-crore project to end chronic waterlogging, the plan remains stalled, this time due to pending traffic clearance.
For over a decade, the RUB has earned notoriety as one of Nagpur’s most treacherous stretches, frequently flooding even after light showers. Shockingly, the underpass continues to remain wet and slippery even without rain, leading to frequent skidding incidents involving two-wheelers. Residents say they have grown weary of the recurring danger.
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24 Oct 2025
“Every week someone slips here. We’ve been waiting too long for a permanent solution,” said a Narendra Nagar commuter.
To execute the drain overhaul, the PWD submitted a proposal on November 12 seeking permission for temporary road closure and regulated one-way movement. Nearly ten days later, the file still awaits approval from the Traffic Department.
Officials insist the diversions are unavoidable since the project requires excavation across the road to construct a central concrete drain designed to rapidly flush out stormwater.
Following inquiries by TOI, officials from Ajni Traffic Zone inspected the site on Sunday. A traffic officer confirmed they are now assessing the work duration and feasibility of alternate routes. Permission will be granted after the evaluation, he said.
A decade-old problem, decades of patchwork
The underpass on SH-340 regularly turns into a waterlogged trap. During monsoon, traffic snarls stretch for long distances as vehicles crawl through knee-deep water. Earlier interventions — pumps, patch repairs, quick fixes — have repeatedly failed.
“The existing pumps cannot handle peak monsoon loads. The new system will finally provide a long-term drainage solution.”
With a completion target of March 2026, the project promises a permanent fix, after which maintenance will shift to NMC post the defect-liability phase.
“We’ve seen everything — makeshift pumps, sandbags, temporary patchwork. Nothing lasted. This is the first real attempt at a permanent solution,” said a nearby shopkeeper.
Thousands depend on the route
The RUB connects Ajni, Manish Nagar, Besa, and several fast-growing residential clusters. Daily submergence has not only hampered commuting but also exposed the lack of coordination between civic agencies. A timely decision by the Traffic Department, residents say, is the final push needed to begin work on turning one of Nagpur’s worst waterlogging hotspots into a safer, flood-free corridor.
