Old Bhandara Road Widening Project in Nagpur Faces Persistent Delays
After numerous delays for several decades, the Old Bhandara Road widening project finally commenced in 2023 after receiving funding. However, the project has been moving forward at a notably sluggish pace. According to a local Hindi daily, out of the 42 properties now under the ownership of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), 36 are still awaiting demolition.
The responsibility for this task has been divided between the Satranjipura and Gandhibagh zones, as the project falls under the jurisdiction of both. Interestingly, back in 2017, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had mandated the completion of this process within three months when hearing a public interest litigation (PIL).
At present, the Satranjipura zone has successfully demolished seven properties, while the Gandhibagh zone, which has 35 properties marked for demolition, has made no progress. Sources within the NMC have disclosed that the town planning department has forwarded the necessary files to the estate department. Unfortunately, officials in the estate department have not taken any action, leaving the zone unable to proceed.
Remarkably, not a single document regarding the properties has been returned to the zone office by the estate department. These setbacks are causing serious concerns, particularly in light of the project's 23-year delay.
In January 2000, the state government issued orders for 45 projects, all of which have been completed except for this particular endeavour. According to the proposed plan, 632 buildings along the 2.5-kilometre stretch from Mayo Hospital to Sunit Hotel are earmarked for demolition.
The road's width is slated to increase from 18 meters to 30 meters in this segment. The sluggish progress of the Old Bhandara Road widening project underscores the urgent need for expedited action to ensure its timely completion. Stakeholders are closely monitoring developments, hoping that the remaining properties can be swiftly demolished, allowing the project to regain the momentum it has lost.
-t-thumb.jpeg)
-t-thumb.jpeg)
-t-thumb.jpeg)
