Nagpur: After enduring a prolonged construction period riddled with delays and setbacks, the bridge at University Library Square in Nagpur is finally nearing completion. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has announced that the bridge will be fully opened for traffic movement by the end of this week.
The construction agency involved in the project has been working on the final phase of construction, which includes fixing cement bricks on the road stretch. Once this phase is completed and the road is thoroughly cleaned, the bridge will be ready to accommodate vehicular traffic, said NMC.
The construction of the University Library Square Bridge has not been without its challenges. Delays were encountered due to the need for shifting utility cables, particularly those belonging to BSNL, the water works department, and MSEDCL. These delays, coupled with the slow progress of work by the private firm, extended the construction timeline more than a year.
Residents and commuters have expressed frustration over the prolonged closure of the bridge, which has exacerbated traffic congestion on Canal Road and surrounding areas. The closure has led to traffic problems and haphazard parking which had caused inconvenience to commuters.
Meanwhile, wait prolongs for citizens who had been hoping for a respite from traffic diversions around Sitabuldi, considered heart of Nagpur, as the National Highway (NH) Division of the Public Works Department (PWD) would not open the bridge being constructed anew over Nag River between Panchsheel Square and Jhansi Rani Square for traffic for at least another 15-20 days.
In October last year, PWD had set a 3-4 months deadline to complete the 25m bridge. The Traffic Department said the PWD had assured them in writing that the bridge work would be completed by March 31. The work is almost complete, and it will open soon, said an official.
The earlier bridge had been washed away in the flash flood on September 23 last year. The stretch of Wardha Road from Panchsheel Square to Rani Jhansi Square has been closed since then for construction of the bridge. People are forced to take longer routes to cover the 300m distance. Traffic diversions are causing snarls to internal roads in Dhantoli, Ramdaspeth and Sitabuldi.
According to PWD, the bridge work is almost complete, and it will take around 15 to 20 days more to open it to the public. The slab has been completed and only work on a small nullah is remaining, which too will be completed soon. Though there is no exact date for completion, the bridge will be opened to the public within 15 to 20 days. The project cost is around Rs 7.50 crore.
