Nagpur: Expressing concerns highlighted by local media, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on Wednesday questioned the authorities regarding the necessity of the Tekdi Road subway project. “Do you have sufficient traffic load that requires construction of this tunnel,” Justice Nitin Sambre questioned.
During the hearing, Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri scrutinised the effectiveness of existing underpasses and expressed doubts about their utility. “All the underpasses that have been built in Nagpur have failed. Public money has been wasted by constructing these subways,” the bench remarked.
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Monday 20 Jan. 2025
The PWD, which has awarded the contract to Maha Metro for the Tekdi Road Underpass project, was directed to be made respondent in the PIL and submit an affidavit by next week. The proposed underpass, which aims to connect the Institute of Science to Manas Square through Zero Mile, has been fast-tracked by various administrative departments which has raised eyebrows.“Why the rush to build the underpass?” Justice Sambre asked, expressing the court’s surprise at the administration’s urgency.
The High Court had initiated suo motu Public Interest Litigation based on a letter by a vigilant citizen who raised concerns over the underpass. Concerns were also raised over the environmental impact, with heritage trees along the route slated for felling to accommodate the construction. Maha Metro had sought permission from the NMC, but work commenced before approval was obtained. This hurry also came under scrutiny of the court.
In an earlier hearing, the High Court had ordered to include the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as a respondent in the matter. During the latest hearing, the petitioner argued that there is zero feasibility for an underpass in the proposed area and noted that many existing subways have proven to be more troublesome than convenient for commuters as well as residents.
“It would not be appropriate to construct the proposed underpass without conducting a comprehensive feasibility study,” the petitioner had contended. Adv Kuldeep Mahalle appeared as amicus curiae, Adv Anish Kathane for NHAI, Adv Sudhir Puranik for NMC.
The media report highlighted potential future implications for traffic movement due to water-logging issues at the proposed Tekdi Road underpass. Since all the underpasses in the city have become prone to waterlogging, the proposed underpass is likely to face a similar fate. There is no information from the administration regarding whether a water flow study or a traffic movement flow study was conducted before approving the project.
