Nagpur: A subway to ease the Railway line congestion at Manish Nagar was on the cards which was to be implemented by Maharashtra Metro, earlier Nagpur Metro, along with the metro work.
This subway is actually part of the National Highways of India NHAI project but for more efficient execution and completion of project the work is handed over to Nagpur Metro.
NHAI had finalized the design for a T-shaped flyover connecting Ujwal Nagar with Wardha Road. The flyover as planned, will be 2.8 km long. It will start just ahead of Ajni Square and end about 150 metres before the airport junction. In between, one arm will branch off towards Ujwal Nagar.
Shriram Mishra, NHAI project director had said in August 2015 that due to lack of space, a two-level spiral ramp will be constructed at Ujwal Nagar end. The circular ramps are to be constructed one above the other emerging in Ujwal Nagar.
The Chatrapati flyover was demolished in fact to make way for both metro and this new subway.
NHAI had sought change of user for 10,000 square metres land in Ujwal Nagar for constructing the spiral ramp. The board of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) had cleared the proposal and begun other formalities.
Later, it was decided to hand over work of demolition and construction of new flyover/ subway to Nagpur Metro which already demolished the Chatrapati square flyover.
But the Ujwal nagar residents not agreeing to give up their houses has created a problem with execution.
“We are in no way responsible for ground work like acquiring land for the subway or talking to local residents who are going to be affected. It is the work of NIT and State Govt. and they will take the final call ” Said Dr. Brijesh Dixit, M.D. Maharashtra Metro.
NT has learnt that residents of Ujjwal Nagar, whose houses were going to be aquired for construction of subway are up in arms against the project.
“We have been living in our homes for 35 to 40 years now and have nowhere else to go. We will not give up our homes” said the 14 house owners who have been sent notices for eviction by NIT already.
Some, who have built their homes comparatively recently are still repaying Bank Loans taken for housing. It is a middle class Housing Society.
What NIT and State Govt. does now remains to be seen.
